Joan Nathans Classic Israeli Schnitzel Recipes

PENGUIN BUFFET'S CLASSIC ISRAELI SCHNITZEL

Steps:

• 1. Place one cutlet at a time inside a large plastic bag. With a meat mallet, pound the turkey or chicken slice as thin as possible and season well with salt and pepper.
• 2. Spread the flour on a flat plate. Break the eggs into a pie plate and beat well. Put the bread crumbs on a third plate.
• 3. Pour the oil into a heavy skillet to a depth of 1 inch and heat over a medium flame until almost smoking.
• 4. Dip each turkey or chicken breast in flour, then in egg, and then in bread crumbs.
• 5. Fry the schnitzels for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until golden brown.
• 6. Drain the schnitzels on a plate lined with paper towel. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.
• NOTE: You can also bake the breaded schnitzels in a 350-degree oven for a few minutes ahead of time. Then, just before serving, deep-fry quickly to crisp the outside.
• • This dish, a variation on veal schnitzel from Central Europe, is a classic example of the transformations common in Israeli cooking. Before Israel's swamps were drained in the 1950s to irrigate the desert, there was not enough grassland to pasture cows. Thus the first Central European Jewish settlers adapted one of their native dishes to use turkey meat, more easily raised in desert conditions. Subsequent immigrants have added twists from their own backgrounds, such as Yemeni Jews adding the Middle Eastern spice blend hawayij.

JERUSALEM PEPPERY KUGEL (KUGEL YERUSHALMI)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200°F degrees. Bring 6 cups of water to boil in a pot, add ½ teaspoon of the salt and cook pasta for about 5 minutes, or until al dente. Drain, rinse in cold water, and place in a bowl.
• Add pepper, remaining salt, eggs, and 2/3 cup of sugar. Mix well.
• Heat oil in a small saucepan and add remaining 1/3 cup of the sugar. Mix well and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar melts and starts to turn brown. Keep an eye on this, for once it begins to color, it will get dark quickly. Pour caramelized sugar over pasta, mixing well. Don't worry if some of the caramel hardens, it will soften later.
• Grease a Bundt pan or a a 9 x 13 baking dish.and pour spaghetti inches Cover with tin foil and bake in the middle rack of the oven for 2 hours. If you like a crustier top, take the foil off for the last half hour of cooking.

JOAN NATHAN'S FAVORITE FALAFEL

Steps:

• Put the chickpeas in a large bowl and add enough cold water to cover them by at least 2 inches. Let soak overnight, then drain.
• Place the drained, uncooked chickpeas and the onions in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the parsley, cilantro, salt, hot pepper, garlic, and cumin. Process until blended but not pureed.
• Sprinkle in the baking powder and 4 tablespoons of the flour, and pulse. You want to add enough bulgur or flour so that the dough forms a small ball and no longer sticks to your hands. Turn into a bowl and refrigerate, covered, for several hours.
• Form the chickpea mixture into balls about the size of walnuts.
• Heat 3 inches of oil to 375 degrees in a deep pot or wok and fry 1 ball to test. If it falls apart, add a little flour. Then fry about 6 balls at once for a few minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Stuff half a pita with falafel balls, and garnishes and sauces of your choice.

JOAN NATHAN'S CLASSIC CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300. Grease the sides of a 9-inch springform pan.
• Melt the butter and combine with the graham cracker crumbs. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan. Save some crumbs.
• Combine the egg yolks, cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, and flour. Beat very well until light and fluffy.
• Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold into cream cheese mixture. Pour the batter into the pan and sprinkle with the remaining graham cracker crumbs.
• Bake 1 hour. Turn off oven and leave cake in the oven 1 additional hour. Then leave the oven door ajar 30 minutes more. (This prevents cracking).