Anna Sultana’s Centrepiece Easter Bread / Anise Seed Easter Bread / No-Rise Easter Bread / Small Easter Nests l A Traditional Family Easter by Margaret Ullrich

Oh, my! February is almost over!
It seems the older I get, the faster the time goes.
I mean… wasn’t Christmas just last week?

Okay, it’s time to get serious about time.
This year Easter is on April fifth.
That’s five weeks… 35 days… 840 hours… 50,400 minutes from now.
You get the picture.
If you’re over 75, like me, it means that in two weeks, oh lucky us, we have to be ready for another holiday.
At least that’s how it will seem.

Let’s take this ‘holiday’ in small steps.
What’s the bare minimum we can get away with without getting major complaints?

I’m not going to get into the Spring Cleaning to do lists.
Nobody notices that, anyway.
But the dinner is a whole other story.

Family holiday dinners change over the years.
Tradition gives way to schedule conflicts, problems in the supply chain, rising prices, dietary restrictions and changing appetites.
And don’t get me started on vegetarians.

Bread, in moderation, is usually a safe holiday item.
A dietary staple, reasonably priced and good as a leftover.
So, let’s start with the fancy Easter bread.

Back in the 1970s we were into baking - breads, buns, you name it.
Like we didn’t trust the local stores’ bakers or the big bread companies anymore.
The sourdough craze during Covid was a blast from the past.
Well, it kept us busy when we were stuck at home.

If the bread baking bug is out of your system, and you don’t want to buy yeast that’s just going to age in place, the No-Rise Easter Bread uses baking powder and isn't kneaded.
Your guests won’t know the difference.
It’ll be our secret.


Hints:

When using a recipe that calls for zest you could place the zest in a separate bowl and add some of the sugar called for in the recipe. Rub the zest into the sugar to release the oils, then continue to follow the recipe.

Check the ‘best before’ date of the yeast. If there's no foam it won’t do anything.

Twist each piece gently but firmly to give the wreaths that braid shape.
You could also divide each rope into two, then twist each pair of ropes together before forming a ring. Pinch the ends to seal.

The uncooked eggs will cook through and be safe to eat.
You could also sprinkle slivered almonds on top before baking.

The breads can be eaten as is, or lightly toasted and served with butter or jam.

About the Anise Seed Easter Bread…
You could also add 1 teaspoon lemon zest or 1/2 teaspoon almond extract.
Golden raisins, about a half cup, would also be a nice addition.

This loaf is open to suggestions when it comes to form.
You could make a wreath and decorate it with 6 dyed uncooked eggs.
Or you could go creative and make a dove, or a cross or even a mermaid.


About the No-Rise Easter Bread…
If the yeast didn’t foam this is perfect for a plan B.

You can also stir in the ‘3 dry and 2 liquid additions’ instead of using the mixer.


About the Sweet Easter Twists…
You could add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon cinnamon or 1 teaspoon orange zest to the dough.

For a holiday look, place a dyed raw egg in the centre of the wreath before the final rising.

 

                     Centrepiece Easter Bread

Makes 3 large or 6 small wreaths

Line 3 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Have on hand 3 to 6 dyed uncooked eggs

Place in a small bowl
1/4 Cup warm water (about 110° F)
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
                                                               Stir and let sit 5 to 10 minutes, until it foams.

Place in a large bowl
5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 Cup whole milk, warmed
1/3 Cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 - 1 teaspoon anise extract (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Blend together until well combined.
Beat in, one at a time
3 large eggs
Stir in the proofed yeast mixture.
Gradually add, 1 cup at a time
3 1/2 - 4 Cups flour
Stir until a soft dough forms.
Place dough on floured surface and knead for 8 to 10 minutes, until it is smooth and elastic.
Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place 1 1/2 - 2 hours, until doubled.
Punch down dough and divide into 6 pieces.
Roll each piece into a rope.
Twist two ropes together and form into a braided circle, pinching ends to seal.
Place on parchment-lined baking sheet.
Insert dyed raw eggs on the surface of each wreath.
Cover and let rise in a warm place 30 to 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350° F

Place in a cup
1 large egg
Beat until well blended.

Brush loaves with beaten egg.
Sprinkle with
Sugar sprinkles (nonpareils)
Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until golden.
Let cool and serve.


                                                               Anise Seed Easter Bread

Makes 1 large loaf

Line 1 cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Place in a small bowl
1/4 Cup warm water (about 110°F)
1 Tablespoon sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
Stir and let sit 5 to 10 minutes, until it foams.

Place in a large bowl
4 Cups flour
1/2 Cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 –  2 Tablespoons anise seeds (or fennel seeds)
Whisk together and make a well in the centre.
Add
the yeast mixture
1/2 Cup unsalted butter, melted
3 large eggs
3/4 Cup warm milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Stir until a soft dough forms.
Place dough on floured surface and knead for 5 to 7 minutes, until it is smooth and elastic. Add more flour if needed.
Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place 1 - 2 hours, until doubled.
Punch down dough. Shape into a braided loaf or your chosen Easter shape.
Place on parchment-lined baking sheet.
Cover and let rise in a warm place 30 to 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350° F

Place in a cup
1 large egg
Beat until well blended.

Brush loaves with beaten egg.
Sprinkle with
Sugar sprinkles (nonpareils)
Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until golden.
Let cool.

Glaze (optional)
Place in a small bowl
1 Cup confectioners sugar
1 – 2 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon lemon or orange extract
Stir to make a smooth glaze and drizzle over bread.

                     No-Rise Easter Bread

Makes 2 large braided rounds

Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Peel zest from an orange, chop, and set aside.

Place in a large bowl
6 Cups flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Whisk together and set aside.

Place in a stand mixer bowl
3/4 Cup shortening
1 1/2 Cups sugar
Beat together until light and fluffy.
Add, one at a time, beating after each addition
3 large eggs
2 egg yolks
Stir in
1 Cup ricotta cheese (or cottage cheese)
1 teaspoon orange extract
the orange zest

On low speed, making 3 dry and 2 liquid additions, add
the flour mixture
1/2 Cup milk
Blend until a soft dough forms.
Dust work surface lightly with flour.
Divide dough in half, then each half into 3 pieces.
Roll each piece into an 16 inch rope.
Braid 3 ropes together, then form into a wreath, tucking the ends under to secure.
Place on parchment lined baking sheet.
Repeat with remaining dough.

Preheat oven to 350° F

Bake 30 to 40 minutes, until golden.
Cool completely.

Place in a small bowl
1 1/2 Cups confectioners sugar
3 Tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon orange extract
Stir together to form a smooth glaze.
Drizzle glaze over cooled loaves.
Sprinkle with
Sugar sprinkles (nonpareils)

 

                     Small Easter Nests

Makes 6 small wreaths

Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Have on hand 6 dyed uncooked eggs

Peel zest from an orange or lemon, chop, and set aside.

Place in a small bowl
1/4 Cup warm milk (about 110°F)
1 Tablespoon sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
Stir and let sit 5 to 10 minutes, until it foams.

Place in a large bowl
2 1/2 – 3 Cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 Cup minus 1 Tablespoon sugar
Whisk together.
Add
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
the lemon or orange zest
1/4 Cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
Stir until a soft dough forms.
Place dough on floured surface and knead for 7 to 8 minutes, until it is smooth and elastic. Add more flour if needed.
Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place 1 1/2 - 2 hours, until doubled.
Punch down dough and divide into 12 pieces.
Roll each piece into a 6 inch rope.
Twist two ropes together and form into a braided circle, pinching ends to seal.
Place on parchment-lined baking sheet.
Place a dyed raw egg in the centre of each wreath.
Cover and let rise in a warm place 30 to 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350° F

Place in a cup
1 large egg
Beat until well blended.

Brush loaves with beaten egg.
Sprinkle with
Sugar sprinkles (nonpareils)
Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until golden.
Let cool and serve.

                                                          ~~~

I had originally written the following story when I was one of the co-hosts of the CKUW radio show ‘2000 & Counting’.

In 2007 it was included in 'A/cross sections : new Manitoba writing', an anthology edited by Katharine Bitney and Andris Taskans, and published by the Manitoba Writers Guild. 
It is still in the Winnipeg library system, adult nonfiction section. Check it out. It has lots of stories and poems by many Manitoba writers. (In my profile picture, taken at McNally Robinson Booksellers, it's in the left top corner.)

Why am I always writing about food?


                                        A Traditional Family Easter

    I made a loaf of soda bread to serve with the corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick’s Day.  I don’t know why I did it.  I’m Maltese.  My husband is German/Swedish.  Not a single Irish person among our ancestors.  Then, on March nineteenth, I made a lasagna and cream puffs for St. Joseph.  I’d be twenty pounds lighter if I just ignored holidays.

    Yeah, right, like that’ll ever happen.     

    I’m a sucker for holiday traditions.  And, just like Christmas, Lent and Easter are loaded with holiday traditions.  Lent is the time to really clean the house.  Ah, spring cleaning.  Scrub and wax the floors, wash the windows and launder the curtains.  Everything from cellar to attic is glowing.  After being sealed in tighter than a drum all winter who could argue with giving the house a good cleaning?

    Lent is also a time to cut back on the calories.  Let’s be honest.  Who doesn’t want to drop the pounds gained during December?  Between the fasting and the exercise we get from cleaning house, we’re almost able to fit into the clothes we wore before Christmas.  Alleluia!!  Religion can be good for the body as well as the soul.  

    And then there’s Easter, when Christians celebrate Christ’s Resurrection.  We attend church in new outfits.  Little boys in little suits and little girls in fluffy dresses and shiny white patent leather shoes make families look like Hallmark cards.  

    Easter has more customs than the Bunny has eggs.  A popular tradition is to gather together and share a feast.  Over the centuries women have made this a glorious occasion with beautifully decorated eggs, colourful coffee cakes and traditional breads.

    According to tradition, an angel appeared to Mary to tell her that Jesus would arise on Easter.  To show her joy, Mary baked bread to share with her friends.  And to make the loaf more special, she put an egg, a symbol of life, on the top.  Now, I have to admit I don’t know what I’d do if someone told me that a recently deceased relative was rising from the dead.  I guess baking bread is as good a thing to do as any.  The only problem is that over the past two millennia something got lost in translation as that bread recipe went from country to country.

    And that’s when Easter went to hell in a bread basket.

    During my earliest years in Corona, a small town in Queens, New York, Easter was Italian. Palm Sunday was the Day of the Olive.   Small blessed olive branches were offered as tokens of peacemaking. For Easter breakfast we had Colomba di Pasqua. Colomba is bread shaped to look like a dove, the symbol of peace, and covered with almond paste and almonds. An Italian Easter dinner also had traditions. First we had manicotti. That was followed by a roasted whole baby lamb with a mixed salad, sauteed spinach and roasted artichokes. For dessert there were cream tarts, cookies, spumoni, nuts and roasted chestnuts. The adults had coffee.

    Then my parents moved to College Point, another small town in Queens, which had been settled by Irish and German families.  They had their own Easter customs.  Since Easter was not as commercial as Christmas, no one noticed when we followed our own customs.


    When I was seven I had to follow what Ma told me were the Church’s rules during Lent.  I ate kwarezimal, an almond cookie that was topped with honey and chopped pistachio nuts.  Ma said we could eat it during Lent because it didn’t have any fat or eggs.  For Maundy Thursday Ma baked bread in the form of a ring.  Its top was crusted with sesame seeds and pierced with roasted almonds.  Our Easter dinner menu was the same as it had been in Corona.  But, instead of making a Colomba di Pasqua, Ma baked a figolli, a Maltese sweet bread with a marzipan filling.  

    A figolli was harder to make than a colomba.  The dough was rolled about one centimeter thick.  Then Ma cut the dough into pairs of figolla with a figolla cutter.  They looked like a large letter J, but the stick part ended in a fish’s tail.  On one side of a figolla Ma spread jam and marzipan.  Then she covered it with the identical shape, as if she was making a sandwich.  After the figolli had been baked and cooled, they were covered with colored icing and piped royal icing.  Then a decorated Easter egg was placed on top of each figolli.  For the final touch a cardboard woman’s face was inserted into the mound of the J.  

    The odd thing about Ma’s traditional figolli was that it was a mermaid.  I asked Ma why a mermaid and not a dove.  She said, “I don’t know.  It’s our tradition.”  

    Well, you can’t argue with tradition.


    In College Point, as Easter approached, the bakeries filled with cross buns, pretzels, braided almond loaves, Easter cookies and marzipan treats.  There were also large decorated sugar Easter eggs which had a hole in one end.  When we looked into the hole we could see tiny bunny villages.  There were also hot cross buns.  Ma knew about the cross buns.  Since Malta was part of the British Empire, Ma had eaten them in Malta, too.      

    We brought samples of our mothers’ holiday baking to school.  There were lots of pretzels.  Since they didn’t have fat or eggs, we could eat them during Lent without risking eternal damnation.  I liked the braided loaves which had been covered with almond paste.  They reminded me of Colomba di Pasqua.  I brought some kwarezimal to school.  After I explained that the almond cookies didn’t have fat or eggs either, my friends agreed to try them.  


    Easter for my family was a simple celebration.  We went to church, wished everyone a “Happy Easter”, went home and ate our traditional foods.  There weren’t any problems until the year Ma’s brother Charlie married an American girl.  Aunt Liz wanted to learn more about Maltese customs.  Ma invited Charlie and Liz for Easter.  

    Pop told his oldest sister, Aunt Demi, that we had invited Charlie and Liz.  Aunt Demi was worried that our branch of the family was becoming too American.  So, Aunt Demi decided that she would come to dinner to make sure that Ma kept everything kosher.  

    Then Aunt Rita, one of my Sicilian Aunts, heard that we were inviting company for Easter.  Aunt Rita always took things personally.  She was insulted.  Why hadn’t she been invited, too?  Ma invited Aunt Rita, Uncle Tony and their children.  We had enough folding tables and chairs to seat everyone in the yard.  As long as it didn’t rain, Ma thought it would be a nice family dinner.

    Easter Sunday morning the sun was shining and the lamb was roasting on a spit in our yard.  The tables had been set.  Aunt Liz was taking notes and learning recipes.  She had brought a dozen cross buns and a jello mold.  The only thing missing was the centrepiece.  Aunt Demi had told Ma that she would bring a proper figolli.  

    It was the biggest figolli I’d ever seen.  The icing was as thick as my thumb.  While Aunt Demi was placing the Easter egg on her mermaid, Aunt Rita marched in and pulled a Colomba di Pasqua out of her tote bag.  The colomba had a three-foot wingspan.  There was barely room enough for one centrepiece.  

    Fish or fowl, which would Ma use?

    After forty days of fasting and scrubbing, Demi and Rita were lean, clean, Easter tradition machines.  Filled with the holiday spirit, they glared at each other.

    “What the hell is that?”  Aunt Demi spat.
    “It’s a dove, a symbol of peace, you idiot,” Aunt Rita shot back.  
    “It’s Easter.  We don’t need a damn dove.”
    “Throw that fish back in the sea.”  
    “The figolli is part of our tradition.”
    “Since when did Jesus swim with the fishes?”
    Waving a knife, Aunt Demi lunged.  “Give me that bread.  I’ll cut it up for sandwiches.”
    “Over my dead body.”
    “No problem.”

    My Aunt Liz was fascinated by her new in-laws.  She wrote down everything they said.  Maybe she thought the fight was part of our jolly ethnic holiday tradition.  I stayed close to Liz in case she didn’t have sense enough to duck.  

    Ma went back to the kitchen.  She knew she couldn’t reason with her sisters-in-law.  Her plan was to hide in the kitchen until the smoke cleared.  If they killed each other it would leave more food for the others.

    “Maria, get out here,” Aunt Demi yelled.  Ma came out.  The men and the younger children were nowhere in sight.  They were taking a walk to work up an appetite.  Demi and Rita were rolling up their sleeves.  Liz was taking notes.  
    “I went to all this trouble,” Aunt Rita whined.
    Aunt Demi barked, “Tell this idiot we are using the figolli.”
    “It took me forever to make this,” Aunt Rita whined again.
    Ma tried to be a good hostess.  “They’re so big.  We could put them on chairs near the table.”

    No luck.  The Aunts wanted her to choose one.
   Aunt Demi announced, “We are having a traditional Maltese Easter dinner.  With a traditional figolli.”
    “Do you think our Blessed Mother baked a mermaid?” Aunt Rita sneered. 
    Demi lunged.  Liz wrote.  

    The lamb was ready.  If this dragged on much longer it would be a lump of coal. 

    Ma sighed, glared at her sisters-in-law and said, “I don’t care if our Blessed Mother made hot dogs and beans. I’m tired of cleaning. I’m tired of baking. I’m tired of the whole damn holiday.

    And I’m tired of bread. A few days ago I gave a figolli to a friend who lives down the street. Yesterday she came over and gave me a loaf of challah. So I have another traditional bread from Mrs. Cohen… Mrs. Cohen. That’s it!!”

    Without saying another word Ma turned and went back to the kitchen.  In a few minutes she returned with the glossy braided challah on the platter. 

    “Our Blessed Mother was a Jew.  She would’ve made a challah.  And that’s what we’re having for Easter.  It’s traditional.  Shut up, sit down and eat.”

    And, so saying, Ma started our traditional Easter Dinner.

Anna Sultana’s Rice Pudding and Rice Custard / The First Maltese Lucia Queen by Margaret Ullrich

 

Sometimes we catch a financial break during the holiday season.
Not huge, but every little bit helps.
There are actually some Christmas traditions that are kind to our budgets.
The Swedish people have a Christmas dessert tradition that actually uses some leftovers.
How great is that!


Ma was a fan of rice puddings.
Ross il-forn (Maltese Style baked rice) was a regular dinner for us, especially towards the end of the month.
It uses a few slices of bacon and a small amount of ground beef to make dinner for five.
It was mostly rice baked in a tomato sauce, which was just fine with us.
Ma figured rice could make a good, filling dessert, too.

I guess one Lily Tulip co-worker gave her one recipe.
Then another pal gave her a different recipe, and, as time went on, she had quite an assortment of recipes.
Whether or not there was leftover rice in the fridge, she was all set to make a dessert.

Hints: 

About the Easiest Rice Pudding…
Add the zest of 1 lemon or orange (or a teaspoon of extract) when you add the vanilla.

To make a vegan rice pudding, use 2 Cups almond milk and 2 Cups coconut milk (or 4 Cups of either) instead of dairy milk.

About the Creamy Rice Pudding…
For creamier pudding, use short or medium-grain rice. You can also use 2 Cups leftover rice instead of the uncooked white rice, and skip the rice cooking part.
Adjust the amount of liquid in the Dutch oven if you think the rice is too dry.

This recipe is open to suggestions. You can add: dried cranberries, chopped dried apricots, brown sugar, pecans, or dates. For variety you can use water and half-and-half or almond milk. You can also add 1/2 teaspoon rum extract for a little kick.

For a tropical dessert add brown sugar, coconut extract, shredded coconut and chopped pineapple.

Place the Dutch oven under the broiler for a few minutes to give it a golden brown skin.

Allow the leftover rice pudding to cool, then transfer to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to five days. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave.

You can also freeze homemade rice pudding. Spoon the pudding into freezer-safe bags, leaving space at the top to allow for expansion. Freeze flat for up to three months.
Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, or in the microwave using the defrost setting.


About the Creamy Italian Stovetop Rice Pudding…
For an extra-rich version, replace half the milk with half-and-half or cream.
You can add 1 teaspoon almond extract for extra flavour.


                                            Easiest Rice Pudding

Place in a Dutch oven
1/2 Cup short grain white rice (Arborio, pearl, or Valencia)
1 1/2 Cups water
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
Bring to boil over medium heat, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed.
Add
4 Cups milk
1/2 Cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Stirring steadily, bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce heat to low.
Stirring occasionally, being sure to scrape the bottom of the pot when you do so to ensure the pudding doesn’t burn on the bottom, cook for 45 minutes, or until mixture is thick and creamy.
 
When the pudding is ready, remove from the heat and transfer the pudding to a serving dish or several dishes.
Serve slightly cooled, or refrigerate 3 hours or overnight until well chilled.
Garnish pudding with a sprinkle of ground cinnamon or nutmeg (optional)


                                            Creamy Rice Pudding

Pour into a Dutch oven
1 1/2 Cups cold water
Bring to a boil over medium heat.
Stir in
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 Cup uncooked white rice (long, medium or short grain, or basmatic or jasmine or brown)

Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until rice is tender and liquid has been absorbed, about 20 minutes.

Stir in
1 1/2 Cups milk
1/4 to 1/3 Cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until thick and creamy, about 15 minutes.

Place in a small bowl
1/2 Cup milk or heavy cream or evaporated milk
1 egg, beaten
Mix together.
Stirring vigorously after each addition, gradually add a few spoonfuls of the rice / milk mixture the the milk / egg mixture to temper the egg.
Stir into the Dutch oven
2/3 Cup golden or Thompson raisins (optional)
the tempered milk / egg mixture


Cook 2 minutes more on low heat, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat and stir in
1 Tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Stir constantly until butter melts. Remove from heat. 

Serve warm or cool topped with a sprinkling of
cinnamon or nutmeg


                                            Rice Pudding Using Cooked Rice


Butter a 9x13x2-inch baking dish.

Place in a large mixing bowl
5 large eggs
Beat well, then beat in
2/3 Cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 Cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Stir in
1 Cup cooked rice
1/2 Cup raisins (optional)
Pour into prepared baking dish.

Preheat oven to 325º F

Place the filled dish in a shallow pan large enough to hold the prepared baking dish.
Pour 1/2 inch of water into the shallow pan. It should come about halfway up the outside.
Sprinkle the top with
cinnamon, nutmeg or chocolate shavings
Bake 45 to 60 minutes, until custard is just firm and lightly browned on top.


                                            Creamy Italian Stove-top Rice Pudding

Place in a Dutch oven
3 1/4 Cups whole milk
3/4 Cup uncooked arborio rice
1/2 Cup granulated sugar
1/4 Cup unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1/3 Cup golden raisins (optional)
Mix well.
Bring the mixture, uncovered, to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
Once simmering, reduce heat to low. Stir gently and constantly for about 20 minutes, or until the mixture thickens and the rice is soft and creamy.
Remove from heat and pour into 5 or 6 small individual bowls or a large bowl. It thickens as it cools.
Let the pudding cool to room temperature.
Either cover with a lid to allow a skin to form or cover with plastic wrap, pressing it gently against the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 3 days.
Before serving, dust generously with cinnamon.
 

                                            Baked Old-Fashioned Rice Pudding

Preheat oven to 300º F

Butter well a flat, deep baking dish.

Place in the buttered baking dish
3 to 4 Cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Stir well to blend, then stir in
1/4 to 1/3 Cup rice, uncooked
1/4 to 1/2 Cup sugar
1/2 Cup raisins
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Set the buttered baking dish in a large pan that will comfortably hold it.
Dot top with
2 Tablespoons butter, cut in smaller pieces
Fill the large pan with boiling water to the half-way point.
Bake uncovered for 2 to 3 hours, stirring every 15 minutes, carefully turning under the browned top and scraping the edges down.
Bake until the rice is tender and pudding is thick and creamy, not dry.
Serve hot or cold.


                                            Old-Fashioned Rice Custard

Preheat oven to 350º F

Break into a 2-quart buttered casserole
6 large eggs
Beat slightly with a fork.
Add
3 Cups milk

1 Cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1⁄2 teaspoon salt
Blend well.
Stir in
1 1⁄2 Cups cooked rice

1 Cup light raisins (sultana or golden)
Place the filled casserole dish inside a larger, shallow pan.
Pour 2 inches of water into the shallow pan. It should come about halfway up the outside of the casserole.
Bake for 30 minutes. Gently stir. Bake for an additional 45 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean.
Serve warm.


                                            Custard Style Rice Pudding

Preheat oven to 350º F

Place in a 4-quart buttered casserole
4 large eggs
3/4 Cup sugar
Beat together.
Slowly pour in
3 Cups milk
1 Cup heavy cream
Mix well.
Add
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
Mix well.
Add
3 Cups cooked rice, cooled
1 Cup raisins
Stir to combine.
Place the filled casserole dish inside a larger, shallow pan.
Pour 2 inches of water into the shallow pan. It should come about halfway up the outside of the casserole.
Bake for 30 minutes. Gently stir. Bake for an additional 60 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean.
Serve warm.

                                                                      ~~~

 

Along with being a co-host for the CKUW radio show ‘2000 & Counting’ from 1999 to 2007, I wrote stories and essays, which I then read live on air.
Back in 2000 I wrote this for our show.
No, I don’t do any of these seasonal feastday celebrations anymore.
At my age I have to conserve my energy for Christmas!

If you'd like to try something a bit different I have posted the recipes for the Maltese and Italian desserts over the years. Just copy and paste the name of the recipe in the 'search' box to the right, click and enjoy!

My parents and I immigrated to New York in 1950. A few years later, when I was in school, I asked why we didn't have anything pretty to eat for Christmas. My Ma told me that, in Malta, Christmas was a religious celebration. The focus was on God becoming man, not on cookies.

Maltese desserts are simple - fresh fruit and cheese with an occasional cookie. One Maltese cookie, the biskuttini tar rahal, could be described as hardened library paste with a hint of lemon and a dash of royal icing. A variation on the biskuttini cuts the sugar by half and replaces the royal icing with a sprinkling of sesame seeds.  
Both cookies are wonderful teething rings.  

Another favourite is the anise biscotti. The big thrill with a biscotti is seeing how much milk it can suck up before breaking in half and falling into your glass. 
It's like eating the sinking Titanic.  
For the holidays, we borrow from the Sicilians and make kannoli tar-rikotta (ricotta in a fried pastry tube) or a qassata (vanilla custard shmeared over a sponge cake).  
How lame is that?  

I knew my German classmates ended their meals with more oomph. Our parish, St. Fidelis, was a cookie heaven. The most amazing homemade cookies were brought to every church and school function by my friends' Moms. They were rich and gorgeous - the cookies, I mean. They were loaded with spices, fruits, nuts and jams, and were covered with thick layers of frosting and all sorts of sprinkles.  

When my Ma saw the competition she admitted defeat and took over the job of bringing coffee. I was free to eat whatever caught my eye. While I gushed, my friends' Moms all beamed. My friends thought I was nuttier than the cookies.  


My husband is a third generation American - half Swedish and half German. Okay, I was marrying into the Cookie Big Leagues. I thought, along with the change of name, I'd return from my honeymoon a changed woman able to make cookies with a capital ‘C’. To paraphrase the biblical story of Ruth, I believed, "What thou eatest, I will eat... thy cookies shall be my cookies..."

Well, you get the picture. Thanks to the movie ‘The Sound of Music’, I just knew we'd celebrate Christmas a la von Trapp: sitting beneath a huge, glowing tree, singing Edelweiss and munching beautiful cookies, my favorite things. Ethnic things.

The ethnic bit nearly ended my marriage.

There's an old German saying: ‘That which really tastes oft us trouble makes’.
Now, there's truth in advertising. Clear as a bell, they were warning me to not even go there. If I'd had half a brain I'd have just thrown in the mixing bowl and placed a huge order at the local German bakery for a deluxe assorted cookie platter, with some stollen on the side.

Nope, I didn't take the hint. I studied every German and Swedish cookbook I could find. The biggest surprise was that there were other days that had to be celebrated. Okay, I thought, practice makes perfect. Maybe it's like opening a Broadway show in Boston. 

I learned about their holiday customs.  

The first Advent biggie was December 6. St. Nicholas' Day. That called for small presents in Paul's shoes and some hot chocolate and buns for breakfast. No problem. The morning went without a hitch.  
Huzzah!! One day I'd bake cookies that looked like jewels!  


I spent more nights baking instead of sleeping. My next goal was an authentic Swedish Saint Lucia Day for our first December 13.
Maybe the lack of sleep was affecting my mind.  

According to one big fat book, a good Swedish wife got up at four a.m. to start tossing her cookies. God forbid any sunlight should shine on the dough or disaster would befall the household. Every hefty housefrau hoped a crescent moon was hovering on the horizon to bring good luck to the baking.  

No kidding. Without that sliver of light she could get killed, stumbling around in the dark like that. I really thought that if I followed the customs, my baking would get better. I got up at four a.m. and baked. Okay, I cheated. I used electric lights.  

Then I ran into a slight problem. According to tradition, saffron buns and coffee were served between three and four a.m. by the eldest daughter, who was dressed as the Lucia Queen. We didn't have children and I couldn't borrow a neighbour's kid for that ungodly hour. I had to make some changes in the sacred customs. I, as an eldest daughter, became the first Maltese Lucia Queen. Ever.

I stitched up a long white robe and tied shining red balls to our Advent wreath. I memorized the traditional poem. Then, when I saw how much saffron cost, I made another teeny change. I made cinnamon buns. What harm could it do?


The days flew. Finally, it was December 13, 3:45 a.m. Show Time!
I was clad in white, balancing an advent wreath with bouncing red balls and gleaming white candles upon my head. I was a glowing, flaming cherries jubilee, clutching a tray laden with coffee and cinnamon buns and walking ever so slowly to our bed.  

Hovering over Paul, I chanted: "Night goes with silent steps..."
Hmmph... No answer. He was snoring. No Swedish genes were making him wake up to behold his Lucia Queen.

Well, after all that work, this Lucia Queen required an audience.
Creating my own liturgy, I ad libbed. "Wake up, Paul."
Still no answer.
I set the tray down, gave him a push and repeated: "Night goes with silent steps... Damn it, wake up."
He snorted, turned and faced me. It took him a while to focus.
Okay, finally, I, the Lucia Queen, was getting the respect I deserved.

I went back to chanting, my voice building to an impressive boom.
"Night goes with silent steps round house and cottage.
O'er earth that sun forgot, Dark shadows linger.      
Then on our threshold stands white clad in candlelight,
Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia."

He looked. He blinked. He screamed.
He said something that no one should ever say to a Lucia Queen.

I blamed the cinnamon. Maybe the Swedish mojo just doesn't work with cinnamon.
Look, if my Ma can blame religion, I can blame spices.

Easy Homemade No-knead Bread and French Bread / A Christmas Bargain! by Margaret Ullrich

 

My last post had bread pudding recipes and they reminded me about the recent warnings concerning ultraprocessed foods.

Most regular packaged breads are considered to be ultraprocessed foods since they are usually made with added emulsifiers and gluten to extend their shelf life.


Don’t panic.
There are other foods that are worse than bread.
But, if you’d like to go back to basic bread - the kind that actually goes stale and hard after a few days - it can be done.
There is a very popular recipe that has been around for a few years.
It’s easy and will give your budget a boost.

Jim Lahey of Sullivan Street Bakery in New York City has become famous for his no-knead artisan bread recipe.
Lahey's bread is made from flour, yeast, salt, and water.
That’s it.
It was one of the THE breads to make when everyone was baking during Covid.


Hints:

About the Jim Lahey’s No-Knead Bread…
Instant or ‘rapid rise’ yeast is yeast that has been crushed into finer granules that enable it to dissolve more quickly.
Since it doesn’t need to be dissolved in warm water, you don’t have to proof it.
If you cannot find instant yeast, substitute active dry yeast proof and continue.

If the room is cool the dough will rise more slowly. As long as 24 hours may be necessary.
The cornmeal helps to prevent the dough from sticking and adds a little texture to the bread. You can use wheat bran or more flour instead of the cornmeal.

The bread must cool on a rack for at least an hour to allow the crust to set and the interior to finish baking.
Leftovers can be stored in a plastic bag at room temperature for up to 3 days.


About the Scored No-Knead Bread with Variations…
Bread flour will give a chewier texture, while whole wheat flour will give a nuttier flavour. You may need to adjust the water slightly.
Before the first rise you can fold in herbs, garlic, olives, or seeds for variety.

Store in a paper bag or wrapped in a clean kitchen towel to maintain its crust.
Plastic bags can make the crust soft.

Serve with soups or stews or for sandwiches.
Or garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar for a simple appetizer.


About the Quicker No Knead Bread…
Shaping the dough into a round loaf on a piece of parchment paper makes it easier to load and unload the bread from the oven. Shape the loaf into a tight round to get a higher rise.


About the No Knead Artisan French Bread…
This loaf can also be baked uncovered on a preheated baking sheet. To have enough moisture while baking, place a metal baking pan with boiling water in a corner of the oven to produce a chewy crust outside with big holes and a soft texture inside.

                                                       Jim Lahey’s No-Knead Bread

Place in a large bowl
3 Cups bread flour or all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
Stir together.
Add
1 1/3 Cups lukewarm water
Mix with a spoon until you have a shaggy, sticky dough. This should take 30 seconds.
Cover the bowl set it aside to rest, about 72° F room temperature, for at least 12 hours; 18 hours is better. 

Generously flour your work surface and lightly flour your hands.
Use a rubber spatula to turn the dough onto the surface.
Gently and quickly lift the edges of the dough in toward the centre, folding the dough over onto itself. Nudge and tuck in the edges of the dough to make it round. 

Generously coat a cotton towel with cornmeal, wheat bran or flour.
Place the dough, seam side down, on the towel and dust the surface with a little more cornmeal, wheat bran or flour.
Cover the dough with another cotton towel and let it rise for about 2 hours.
The dough will be double in size and will hold the impression of your fingertip when you poke it lightly.
If the dough readily springs back, let it rise for another 15 minutes.


A half hour before the dough is done with its second rise, place the oven rack to the lower third position.
Preheat the oven to 450° F
Place a 6- to 8-quart heavy pot and its lid (whether cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in the oven.


When the dough is done with its second rise, carefully take the pot from the oven and remove the lid. 
Uncover the dough, lift it up and quickly but gently turn it over into the pot, seam side up, being very careful not to touch the pot.
Cover pot with its lid and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove the lid and bake 15 to 30 minutes more, until the loaf is beautifully browned.

Using heatproof spatula or pot holders, lift bread out of the pot and place it on a rack.
Don’t slice it until it has cooled at least 60 minutes.


                                                       No-Knead Bread with Variations

Place in a large bowl
1 1/4 Cups lukewarm water, about 70° F
1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
Gently stir together with wooden spoon, then add
2 Cups flour
Mix with a wooden spoon until just combined. 
Add
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 Cup flour
Stir together until all flour is combined and it forms a shaggy ball of dough.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for 18 to 24 hours.

Sprinkle onto bottom of an oven-safe pot or Dutch oven
3 Tablespoons cornmeal

Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it.
Carefully scrape dough out of bowl onto work surface.
Grab edges of dough, pull them up, fold into centre, then push them down.
The dough should form a ball with a little seam on top.
Set ball seam side down into prepared pot and cover.

Allow dough to rise while oven preheats to 450º F

When oven is hot, brush top of dough with
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Score the dough a few times with a sharp knife.
Sprinkle top with
Flaky sea salt or kosher salt
   
Cover pot and bake 35 minutes.
Remove lid and bake 25 minutes, until golden brown.
Remove loaf from pot and let cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes (1 to 2 hours is better) before slicing.


                                                       Easy No-Knead Bread

Place in a large bowl
3 1/4 Cups flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon instant yeast
Stir to combine, then make a well in the centre.
Add
1 1/2 Cups warm water
Using a wooden spoon, stir until a wet, sticky dough forms, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place until doubled in size and surface is dotted with bubbles, about 6 to 8 hours.

Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it.
Fold dough over itself 3 to 4 times, turning after each fold.
Gently shape dough into a round.
Cover the dough with a dishtowel and allow it to rest at room temperature until it has doubled in size, about 1 hour.

About 15 minutes after covering the dough, preheat the oven to 450° F
Place a 4-qt Dutch oven, covered, in the oven for 30 minutes.
Remove pot from the oven, remove lid, and place dough into the Dutch oven.
Using a sharp knife, make a few shallow cuts on the top.
Cover and place in the oven and bake 30 minutes.
Remove cover and continue baking about 15 minutes until golden brown.
Let cool 60 minutes on a wire rack.


                                                       Quicker No-Knead Bread

Place in a large bowl
3 Cups flour
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
Stir to combine and make a well in the centre.
Add
1 1/2 Cups lukewarm water
Stir until it forms a shaggy dough.
Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel.
Set in a warm place to rise until doubled in size and bubbly, 6 to 8 hours. 

Lightly flour a piece of parchment paper.
Turn the dough out onto it, folding it over on itself at least once.
Quickly shape the dough into a round ball.
Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for 1 hour or more, until doubled in size. 

About 15 minutes after covering the dough, preheat the oven to 450° F
Place a 4-qt Dutch oven, covered, in the oven for 30 minutes.

Remove pot from the oven and remove lid.
Using the parchment paper, carefully transfer the loaf, still on the paper, to the Dutch oven.
Make a slash on the top of the dough with a sharp knife so that the bread can expand while baking. 
Place the lid on the pot and put it in the oven.
Bake covered for 30 minutes.
Remove the lid and bake for 15 minutes more.
Remove pot from the oven and transfer the bread to a wire rack.
Let cool at least 15 minutes before slicing the bread.


                                                       No-Knead French Bread

Place in a large bowl
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast granulated yeast
2 1/2 Cup lukewarm water
Add
3 1/2 Cups flour
1 Tablespoon salt
Cover and let sit for 8 to 24 hours.

Flour a work surface with
1 Cup flour
Scrape the dough out and toss gently in the flour for no more than 3 to 4 minutes, keeping any air bubbles that have formed.
Wrap dough in a very well floured towel and let sit for 1 to 2 hours.

About 30 minutes before baking, put a covered cast iron pot in the oven and heat at 450º F
After 30 minutes remove from the oven, dump the bread in, cover and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove the lid, lower the heat to 400º F, and bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown.
Cool on a rack at least 30 minutes.


                                                       No-Knead Bread Recipe from Yeast Packet

Place in a large bowl
1 1/2 Cups warm milk or water
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy.
Add
3 1/2 Cups flour
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons oil
Stir until combined.
Cover and let rise for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Shape as needed, for bread, pizza, cinnamon rolls, or dinner rolls, then place in greased pans.
Let dough rise for 30 minutes.

Pre-heat oven to 375º F

Bake 30 to 60 minutes until item is golden brown.

                                                                            ~~~~

Back in 2002 I wrote an essay for the CKUW radio show ‘2000 & Counting' about getting Christmas gifts.
Goodness, that was twenty-three years ago, and a month before Christmas.
It was a meant as a light piece, filled with hints.
Many of our listeners were seniors or college students, folks known for having to stretch their dollars.
Christmas shopping hasn’t changed all that much.  Darn!!

If you’re not finished with your shopping this is definitely crunch time!


Okay… listen up!  There are four weeks left until Christmas.  That means gifts.  I know, I know, it's more blessed to give than to receive.  But, unless you have ways of shopping that you'd like to keep secret, giving gifts means money.  

It's a little late to start a Christmas gift account at your bank and the utility companies really lose that Ho Ho Ho spirit if you try to skip paying their bills. 
 
If the charge cards are already maxed out - or you just want to keep your nearest and dearest on a cash and carry basis - gift getting is going to take a little effort.  

Desperate times call for desperate measures.  As we're all stuck with holidays - oh, lucky us - I'll tell you some of my desperate measures.

    
Live off your hump.  You know what I mean.  Things like the 18 cans of tuna you have left from the time you bought 20 cans so you could get 50 bonus airmiles.  Now's the time to crack those babies open.  I know the family hates tuna.  That's why there are 18 little cans of fishies swimming around your pantry.  Well, the family would hate a Giftless Christmas even more.  Think about it.  Lousy dinners happen to everybody.  But the family Grinch who comes up giftless at Christmas gets blabbed about throughout the neighbourhood and the generations.  You don't want to be remembered by your great great grandchildren as Granny Grinchie.

Try creative cooking.  Pretend you're on the TV show Iron Chef.  You've just been given a tube of ground beef, a bag of marshmallows, a jar of salsa, a bottle of raspberry vinegar, a carton of frozen spinach, a jar of maraschino cherries and a box of rice-a-roni.  Think only a nut throws odd things together?  How do you think raspberry vinegar was invented?  If the family gets snarky, tell them you found the recipe in a magazine - Drop names.  Martha is always good - and if they can't appreciate all the effort you put into making dinner interesting… Well!  You know the speech.  Remember, guilt, when the other person has it, is a good thing.

Go ethnic.  Granny's recipes don't have to be saved for Folklorama.  God bless ancestors.  Go to an ethnic restaurant and get a load of the prices they charge for a plate of pasta fagioli (that's noodles and beans).  Grandma would die laughing if she saw those prices.  Starch and beans got millions of people through tough times.  Go thou and eat likewise.
  
Beans aren't good enough?  Go past the recognizable cuts and shop the mystery meats.  Put enough spices on them and the family won't know what hit them.  I once made spaghetti and meatballs using animal organs only a mother could love.  Guess what?  Hubby had invited a friend.  Well, the buddy was getting a free meal, so I followed the Cook’s Golden Rule: Don't apologize and don't explain.  The buddy said it was delicious, like the meatballs they serve at the Bay.  Hmmm…  I notice the Bay is still in business.  There's more than one way to skin a cat.   
  
Shop your house.  No kidding.  Grab a bag and stroll through your house.  Look for things somebody foisted… uh… gave to you.  Well, why should you be stuck with it until you're six feet under?  Unless it was made by your preschooler - don't even think it, they DO remember - you're free to pass it on to someone else.  Just don't give it to the person who gave it to you.
   
Pack your own.  Ever notice the little overpriced goodies the stores stuff into baskets and bowls?  One current gift item is a box of pasta, a tin of sauce, some cheese and some wooden spoons nestled within a large bowl.  Are you too stupid to do the same thing?  I didn’t think so.  It's one way to get rid of some of those extra airmiles purchases.  Let somebody else eat the tuna.  


Still thinking about the folks in the flyers looking wildly happy over a toaster? 
Toss the flyers.  Those models were paid big bucks.  Stores want you to buy.  A stress free family holiday is not their goal.  If they had their way you'd replace everything and pay 50% interest.
     
Remember how the best presents were things that showed that someone cared?  Maybe somebody hunted down an out-of-print book by your favorite author. 
The gadgets that looked amazing seem strange on December 26.  
     

While you're shopping, get yourself some treats. 
I have a friend who picks up a bag of pfeffernusse cookies every year.  When she feels like all she's doing is giving, giving, giving, she pops a pfeffernusse and gives herself an old time Christmas.  It doesn't take much.     

God bless us, everyone.

Anna Sultana’s Hot Cross Buns / A Traditional Family Easter

 

Happy Passover and Happy Easter!

Yesterday a Colorado Low wended its way north and dumped snow through the states it passed while on its way to us here in Manitoba.

Just what we needed.

Since we’d had a few days warning and everyone had been told to stay indoors during the blizzard it was a perfect day for us to catch up with some holiday baking, such as making some Hot Cross Buns.

Hot Cross Buns are a Maltese Lent staple.
Okay, it's originally an English recipe.
But the English had been in Malta since the time of Napoleon.
Thanks to Napoleon, I was born a British subject.
Long story.  Google 'Malta'.


Even though Malta became independent in 1964, some English folks stayed.
They'd been in Malta since the time of Napoleon.
That's enough time to get settled in and have roots in a place.

The English were never going to live on bread and water alone.
Maltese bakers cooked for their English customers, too.
Maltese folks tried the buns.
So, we have Napoleon to thank for Hot Cross buns.
Every cloud, even an invasion by Napoleon, can have a silver lining.


Hints:

If you have a container of egg whites in your fridge you can brush the buns with a few tablespoons of that instead of the egg yolk / water mixture.



                                        Hot Cross Buns

Makes 24 buns
          
Grease a large cookie pan or two smaller ones         

Combine in a large bowl
1 Tablespoon sugar
2 Tablespoons yeast
1/2 Cup warm water
Let sit 10 minutes.

While the yeast is sitting combine in a small bowl
2/3 Cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Measure out in a medium bowl
1 Cup raisins
1/2 Cup currants
1/2 Cup diced citron
Dust with flour and set aside.

After the 10 minutes have passed add to the yeast mixture
4 Tablespoons margarine
2 Cups warm water
4 eggs
the spice / sugar mixture
the floured fruit
Blend well.

Gradually stir in
8 - 9 Cups flour
Knead the dough on a floured surface 15 minutes.
Place dough in a greased bowl, cover and let rise 1 1/2 hours.
Punch down and divide evenly into 24 balls.
Shape into buns and place on prepared pan(s).
Cut a shallow cross on top.

Combine
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon water
Brush buns with egg mixture. 
Let rise 35 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400º F  

Bake 25 minutes.
Cool 15 minutes.

While the buns are cooling, combine for icing crosses
1 Cup icing sugar
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon extract
enough water to make a firm frosting
Spoon icing in cross grooves on the buns.


                                                          ~~~
I had originally written the following story for my radio show ‘2000 & Counting’.

In 2007 it was published in 'A/cross sections : new Manitoba writing', which was edited by Katharine Bitney and Andris Taskans, and published by the Manitoba Writers Guild. 

The book is still in the Winnipeg library system, adult nonfiction section.  Check it out.  You'll find lots of stories and poems by other Manitoba writers in it.

Why am I always writing about food?


                                        A Traditional Family Easter

    I made a loaf of soda bread to serve with the corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick’s Day.  I don’t know why I did it.  I’m Maltese.  My husband is German/Swedish.  Not a single Irish person among our ancestors.  Then, on March nineteenth, I made a lasagna and cream puffs for St. Joseph.  I’d be twenty pounds lighter if I just ignored holidays.

    Yeah, right, like that’ll ever happen.     

    I’m a sucker for holiday traditions.  And, just like Christmas, Lent and Easter are loaded with holiday traditions.  Lent is the time to really clean the house.  Ah, spring cleaning.  Scrub and wax the floors, wash the windows and launder the curtains.  Everything from cellar to attic is glowing.  After being sealed in tighter than a drum all winter who could argue with giving the house a good cleaning?

    Lent is also a time to cut back on the calories.  Let’s be honest.  Who doesn’t want to drop the pounds gained during December?  Between the fasting and the exercise we get from cleaning house, we’re almost able to fit into the clothes we wore before Christmas.  Alleluia!!  Religion can be good for the body as well as the soul.  

    And then there’s Easter, when Christians celebrate Christ’s Resurrection.  We attend church in new outfits.  Little boys in little suits and little girls in fluffy dresses and shiny white patent leather shoes make families look like Hallmark cards.  

    Easter has more customs than the Bunny has eggs.  A popular tradition is to gather together and share a feast.  Over the centuries women have made this a glorious occasion with beautifully decorated eggs, colourful coffee cakes and traditional breads.

    According to tradition, an angel appeared to Mary to tell her that Jesus would arise on Easter.  To show her joy, Mary baked bread to share with her friends.  And to make the loaf more special, she put an egg, a symbol of life, on the top.  Now, I have to admit I don’t know what I’d do if someone told me that a recently deceased relative was rising from the dead.  I guess baking bread is as good a thing to do as any.  The only problem is that over the past two millennia something got lost in translation as that bread recipe went from country to country.

    And that’s when Easter went to hell in a bread basket.

    During my earliest years in Corona, a small town in Queens, New York, Easter was Italian.  Palm Sunday was the Day of the Olive.  Small blessed olive branches were offered as tokens of peacemaking.  For Easter breakfast we had Colomba di Pasqua.  Colomba is bread shaped to look like a dove, the symbol of peace, and covered with almond paste and almonds.  An Italian Easter dinner also had traditions.  First we had manicotti.  That was followed by a roasted whole baby lamb with a mixed salad, sauteed spinach and roasted artichokes.  For dessert there were cream tarts, cookies, spumoni, nuts and roasted chestnuts.  The adults had coffee.

    Then my parents moved to College Point, another small town in Queens, which had been settled by Irish and German families.  They had their own Easter customs.  Since Easter was not as commercial as Christmas, no one noticed when we followed our own customs.


    When I was seven I had to follow what Ma told me were the Church’s rules during Lent.  I ate kwarezimal, an almond cookie that was topped with honey and chopped pistachio nuts.  Ma said we could eat it during Lent because it didn’t have any fat or eggs.  For Maundy Thursday Ma baked bread in the form of a ring.  Its top was crusted with sesame seeds and pierced with roasted almonds.  Our Easter dinner menu was the same as it had been in Corona.  But, instead of making a Colomba di Pasqua, Ma baked a figolli, a Maltese sweet bread with a marzipan filling.  

    A figolli was harder to make than a colomba.  The dough was rolled about one centimeter thick.  Then Ma cut the dough into pairs of figolla with a figolla cutter.  They looked like a large letter J, but the stick part ended in a fish’s tail.  On one side of a figolla Ma spread jam and marzipan.  Then she covered it with the identical shape, as if she was making a sandwich.  After the figolli had been baked and cooled, they were covered with colored icing and piped royal icing.  Then a decorated Easter egg was placed on top of each figolli.  For the final touch a cardboard woman’s face was inserted into the mound of the J.  

    The odd thing about Ma’s traditional figolli was that it was a mermaid.  I asked Ma why a mermaid and not a dove.  She said, “I don’t know.  It’s our tradition.”  

    Well, you can’t argue with tradition.


    In College Point, as Easter approached, the bakeries filled with cross buns, pretzels, braided almond loaves, Easter cookies and marzipan treats.  There were also large decorated sugar Easter eggs which had a hole in one end.  When we looked into the hole we could see tiny bunny villages.  There were also hot cross buns.  Ma knew about the cross buns.  Since Malta was part of the British Empire, Ma had eaten them in Malta, too.      

    We brought samples of our mothers’ holiday baking to school.  There were lots of pretzels.  Since they didn’t have fat or eggs, we could eat them during Lent without risking eternal damnation.  I liked the braided loaves which had been covered with almond paste.  They reminded me of Colomba di Pasqua.  I brought some kwarezimal to school.  After I explained that the almond cookies didn’t have fat or eggs either, my friends agreed to try them.  


    Easter for my family was a simple celebration.  We went to church, wished everyone a “Happy Easter”, went home and ate our traditional foods.  There weren’t any problems until the year Ma’s brother Charlie married an American girl.  Aunt Liz wanted to learn more about Maltese customs.  Ma invited Charlie and Liz for Easter.  

    Pop told his oldest sister, Aunt Demi, that we had invited Charlie and Liz.  Aunt Demi was worried that our branch of the family was becoming too American.  So, Aunt Demi decided that she would come to dinner to make sure that Ma kept everything kosher.  

    Then Aunt Rita, one of my Sicilian Aunts, heard that we were inviting company for Easter.  Aunt Rita always took things personally.  She was insulted.  Why hadn’t she been invited, too?  Ma invited Aunt Rita, Uncle Tony and their children.  We had enough folding tables and chairs to seat everyone in the yard.  As long as it didn’t rain, Ma thought it would be a nice family dinner.

    Easter Sunday morning the sun was shining and the lamb was roasting on a spit in our yard.  The tables had been set.  Aunt Liz was taking notes and learning recipes.  She had brought a dozen cross buns and a jello mold.  The only thing missing was the centrepiece.  Aunt Demi had told Ma that she would bring a proper figolli.  

    It was the biggest figolli I’d ever seen.  The icing was as thick as my thumb.  While Aunt Demi was placing the Easter egg on her mermaid, Aunt Rita marched in and pulled a Colomba di Pasqua out of her tote bag.  The colomba had a three-foot wingspan.  There was barely room enough for one centrepiece.  

    Fish or fowl, which would Ma use?

After forty days of fasting and scrubbing, Demi and Rita were lean, clean, Easter tradition machines.  Filled with the holiday spirit, they glared at each other.

    “What the hell is that?”  Aunt Demi spat.
    “It’s a dove, a symbol of peace, you idiot,” Aunt Rita shot back.  
    “It’s Easter.  We don’t need a damn dove.”
    “Throw that fish back in the sea.”  
    “The figolli is part of our tradition.”
    “Since when did Jesus swim with the fishes?”
    Waving a knife, Aunt Demi lunged.  “Give me that bread.  I’ll cut it up for sandwiches.”
    “Over my dead body.”
    “No problem.”

    My Aunt Liz was fascinated by her new in-laws.  She wrote down everything they said.  Maybe she thought the fight was part of our jolly ethnic holiday tradition.  I stayed close to Liz in case she didn’t have sense enough to duck.  

    Ma went back to the kitchen.  She knew she couldn’t reason with her sisters-in-law.  Her plan was to hide in the kitchen until the smoke cleared.  If they killed each other it would leave more food for the others.

    “Maria, get out here,” Aunt Demi yelled.  Ma came out.  The men and the younger children were nowhere in sight.  They were taking a walk to work up an appetite.  Demi and Rita were rolling up their sleeves.  Liz was taking notes.  
    “I went to all this trouble,” Aunt Rita whined.
    Aunt Demi barked, “Tell this idiot we are using the figolli.”
    “It took me forever to make this,” Aunt Rita whined again.
    Ma tried to be a good hostess.  “They’re so big.  We could put them on chairs near the table.”

    No luck.  The Aunts wanted her to choose one.
   Aunt Demi announced, “We are having a traditional Maltese Easter dinner.  With a traditional figolli.”
    “Do you think our Blessed Mother baked a mermaid?” Aunt Rita sneered. 
    Demi lunged.  Liz wrote.  

    The lamb was ready.  If this dragged on much longer it would be a lump of coal.  


Ma sighed, glared at her sisters-in-law and said, “I don’t care if our Blessed Mother made hot dogs and beans. I’m tired of cleaning. I’m tired of baking. I’m tired of the whole damn holiday.

And I’m tired of bread. A few days ago I gave a figolli to a friend who lives down the street. Yesterday she came over and gave me a loaf of challah. So I have another traditional bread from Mrs. Cohen… Mrs. Cohen. That’s it!!” 

    Without saying another word Ma turned and went back to the kitchen.  In a few minutes she returned with the glossy braided challah on the platter. 

    “Our Blessed Mother was a Jew.  She would’ve made a challah.  And that’s what we’re having for Easter.  It’s traditional.  Shut up, sit down and eat.”

    And, so saying, Ma started our traditional Easter Dinner.

Happy Easter! Greek Lamb Chops with Tzatziki Sauce, Greek Salad and Cheese Blintzes

 May joy fill your day,


Hope light your path,


And the many blessings of Easter 
warm your heart...



 

Wishing you a Happy Easter!!

 

It’s been a while since I posted a recipe, and Easter is this weekend.
Time flies when you’re in a Covid-19 induced mind fog and, basically, time has lost all meaning.

But, even though we’re not enjoying our usual holiday traditions or large get-togethers, we’re still here and that’s something to celebrate.

Hoping you and yours stay safe and well!
 

Hints:

If you’re preparing a meal for two, here’s a marinade for 3/4 pound lamb chops:
1/4 Cup olive oil                        
2 1/2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon chopped rosemary
1 teaspoon garlic powder, more or less
salt and pepper to taste

Lamb chops are best when they are medium – medium rare (62ºC / 145ºF).
The meat should be blushing pink in the centre.
Be sure to allow them to rest before serving so they will stay juicy.


Wondering what to serve with Greek lamb chops? Here are some ideas:
Mashed potatoes or garlic baked potato wedges
Asparagus, marinated white bean salad or buttery carrots
Greek salad with feta cheese and pita bread


About that Greek Salad…
In Greece it is called horiatiki (Village Salad) and has cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, Kalamata olives, green pepper, and Feta cheese, with a dressing made from olive oil and vinegar or lemon juice and seasoned with a little dried oregano.
But no lettuce.
Greeks eat seasonally, and that means fresh. A Greek Salad is usually a summer dish. Since lettuce only grows in Greece during the winter months a traditional horiatiki does not include lettuce.

Feta is Greece's most famous cheese and, according to many recent reports, it's also the healthiest cheese in the world. Mainly made from sheep or goat milk (often combined), Feta cheese is nutrient-rich.

If, in your household, a salad isn’t a salad without lettuce, just add it and enjoy.
Zorba won’t be visiting with the salad police.


Tzatziki Sauce is also excellent as a dressing for gyros or Greek Salad, or as a dipping sauce for raw vegetables.


A box of phyllo usually has 24 leaves in it.
If one set of blintzes has one leaf more or less, no problem.


                        Tzatziki Sauce

Place in a food processor or blender
8 ounces plain yogurt
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/4 lemon, juiced
1/2 Tablespoon chopped fresh dill
3 cloves garlic, peeled (1 teaspoon garlic powder, more or less)
salt and pepper to taste
Process until well-combined.
Transfer to a separate dish, cover and refrigerate for at least one hour for best flavour.


                        Greek Lamb Chops

Place in a large bowl
1/2 Cup olive oil                        
1/3 Cup fresh lemon juice
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons chopped rosemary
4 garlic cloves, minced or 2 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
Add
2 pounds lamb chops
Allow to marinate for at least 10 minutes, the longer the better.

Heat a griddle pan or outdoor grill.
Cook the lamb chops for 3 to 4 minutes per side until they are almost charred.
Stand the chops up to allow the fat to render and crisp up.
Remove the lamb chops from the heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
Garnish with lemon slices or wedges before serving.


                        Greek Style Cheese Blintzes

Makes 12 blintzes

Place in a medium bowl
8 ounces cream cheese
1/2 Cup orange marmalade
1 large egg
Beat until smooth.

Melt
1/2 Cup butter or margarine

Unroll on waxed paper
8 ounces phyllo leaves
Place a damp towel over the leaves when not layering and brushing with butter or margarine.

Place on a cutting board
1 phyllo leaf
Lightly brush with melted butter or margarine.
top with another phyllo leaf and brush with melted butter or margarine.
Repeat with another 6 leaves.
Cut into thirds.
Using 1/4 of the cream cheese mixture in total, spoon mixture on each portion.
Roll up the 3 blintzes and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Repeat 3 times with the remaining phyllo, cream cheese mixture and melted butter or margarine.

Preheat oven 375º F
Brush tops with remaining melted butter or margarine.
Bake 30 minutes.

Anna Sultana’s Chicken Marsala / Christmas Traditions & Baking / The Great Conjunction

It’s less than a week before we’ll be celebrating a very unique Christmas.
Yes. CELEBRATING.
It’s been a hard year, but here we are. 

We’ve made it! So celebrate. Safely.

The week is off to a unique beginning.
The Winter Solstice on December 21 marks the beginning of winter in the Northern Hemisphere and is the day with the fewest hours of daylight in the entire year.
If you’re getting tired of T. V. shows - yes, one can only take so much streaming - Mother Nature will be giving us a special show on Monday night: Jupiter and Saturn will be forming a Great Conjunction.
These planets come together every 20 or so years (the last conjunction was in 2020), but this will be the closest they've been together since 1623, just 14 years after Galileo made his own telescope.
In 1614 the German astronomer, Johannes Kepler, suggested that a similar conjunction - involving different planets - occurring in the year 7 B.C. may be what the Three Wise Men in the Christmas Story called the Star of Bethlehem.

On Monday night, about 30 minutes minutes after sunset, try to have a clear view of the southwestern horizon.
The planets will be pretty low in the sky and will remain visible for about an hour.
This is the only time you’ll be able to see the conjunction. Really. On Tuesday the planets will be further apart.
Astronomers say there won't be another Great Conjunction this close until 2080.
Hope it will be a cloudless night for everyone.


Now about a Christmas dinner…
Most families will be celebrating apart, so a traditional turkey dinner might be a bit too much.
Why not try something a little different to finish off a year that has been very different.
In February, 2013 I posted this recipe for Carmela Soprano's Veal Scaloppine Marsala with Risotto, a recipe for two.
Of course, Ma’s recipe is a little different.

I wish you a very Merry Christmas!


Hints:

If you’d like a thicker sauce place the flour left over from dredging the breasts into a small bowl, stir in some of the wine mixture, then stir it into the sauce in the skillet.

The parsley and a squeeze of lemon tones down sweet Marsala’s sweetness.

Don’t usually buy Marsala and not sure what it is?
Marsala is a combination of wine and a distilled spirit, such as brandy, and is similar to Madeira or sherry in flavour.
Marsala comes in both sweet and dry varieties, and either will be fine for this recipe.
For future purchases, to use sweet Marsala for sweet dishes, such as tiramisu or Zabaglione, and dry Marsala for savoury dishes.
Whichever you buy, the Marsala won’t go to waste.
Zabaglione would be a delicious dessert on New Year’s Eve.
Just buy a good quality bottle of Marsala and toast the New Year!

If you’re just cooking for two don’t worry about making four servings.
You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.


                       Chicken Marsala

Serves 4

Place the rack in the middle of the oven.
Heat to 200° F

Trim and quarter
8 ounces cremini mushrooms

Mince
2 cloves garlic

One at a time, place between 2 sheets of plastic wrap or in a heavy zip-top bag
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Using the flat side of a meat mallet or a heavy plate or rolling pin, pound each breast gently into even pieces, about 1/4-inch thick.
Set aside and repeat with the remaining breasts.

On a plate-sized piece of waxed paper spread
1/2 Cup flour
Sprinkle over the flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dredge the breasts in the flour mixture (add more flour if needed).
Set aside.

In a large skillet melt together over medium-high heat
3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
Add 2 of the chicken breasts.
Fry until golden-brown on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
Remove the browned chicken to a baking dish or rimmed baking sheet.
Repeat with the remaining 2 chicken breasts. 
Cover the chicken with aluminum foil and place in the oven to keep warm.

In the same large skillet melt over medium-high heat
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
Add the quartered mushrooms and cook about 3 minutes.
Add the minced garlic and cook about 1 minute.
Add
3/4 Cup dry Marsala wine 
Scrape the bottom of the pan to remove the browned pieces.
Add
3/4 Cup low-sodium chicken broth
Simmer until reduced by half and starting to thicken, about 15 minutes.
Add
1/4 cup heavy cream
Return the chicken to the sauce.
Cook until the sauce thickens about 3 to 5 minutes.
Serve hot over cooked pasta. Angel hair pasta is nice.
Garnish with chopped parsley and lemon wedges.
A nice salad completes the meal.


~~~
I also wrote the following essay about Christmas traditions for our CKUW radio show ‘2000 & Counting’. Over the years our listeners asked for some seasonal stories to be repeated.
They seemed to like being reminded that we were all in the same holiday boat, a communal ship which made us feel like we were all sinking fast.
Ah… Christmas shopping, holiday baking and holiday customs…

I don't know about you, but as far as I'm concerned, there are two questions no one should ever ask a woman.

The first is "How old are you?"
The second is "Have you done your holiday baking yet?”

Why is it that, when the thermometer falls, we're supposed to bake? 
Does the Queen whip up a fruitcake before writing her speech?
I don't think so.  

Holiday baking has been with us an awfully long time.
Did you know that ginger was popular in Greece over 5,000 years ago? The Egyptians were eating gingerbread when the great pyramid of Cheops was just a brick and a prayer. I wonder what their gingerbread men looked like.

A few years after Egypt's building boom, an English King and his hunting party got lost in a blizzard on Christmas Eve.  Well, they were clever lads full of English pluck, so they threw everything they had - meat, flour, sugar, apples, ale and brandy - into a bag and cooked it. Wallah!!  Plum pudding. The Iron Chef would've been proud.  

On Christmas Day in 1666, Samuel Pepys wrote in his diary that he had risen earlier than his wife Who was desirous to sleep having sat up till four this morning seeing her maids make mince pies. 
I really admire Mrs. P. She just sat and watched her maids do the work, yet her husband felt guilty about her workload. How did she get him to suffer like that?   

Some Christmas carols seem a little too focused on food.  For example:
     “Now bring us some figgy pudding and a cup of good cheer!
     We won't go until we get some, so bring it out here.”
Those were somebody's friends?  Somebody should've called the cops.


Holiday baking has followed us into modern times. The 1970s was the decade of old time family television shows like The Waltons and memoir books.
Have you ever browsed through a memoir book? It could make you weep. They reminded us of times like this...

“Evenings when a cold blustery wind howled outside were perfect for sorting through recipes. They were cozy times. The children were sitting at the oak table helping Mama chop fruit and raisins. Papa was cracking and shelling nuts and crushing fresh spices in the grinder.”

Isn't that sweet? Sentences like that convinced me that if we did things just like people did before television was invented, the world would be a kinder, gentler place.

We'll never know. Paul told me, in no uncertain terms, that he was too busy to grind nuts for a cake he didn't even want.
Alright. Scratch Paul grinding his nuts. I bought ground nuts.

Step two... the batter had to be mixed. Back to that memoir...
“When all the fruits were in, Grandmother called, 'Come, stir the batter!'
We all took turns giving it a stir - clockwise for good luck - and made a wish."

I made a batter, threw in the fruits and called out, "Come, stir the batter!"

Carl pointed to the electric mixer sitting on the counter and said that he was staying on the eighth level of his computer game, The Temple of Ra. He also told me, in no uncertain terms, that he was too busy to stir batter for a cake he didn't even want.

I stirred the batter, clockwise.
Don't ask what I wished.


It's been downhill ever since. Do you know about the charming Swedish custom of hiding a whole almond in a serving bowl of rice pudding? The lucky person who finds the almond has to get married or do the dishes. Either my husband or my son - the fink never confessed - managed to swallow the almond every time.

I tried the German version - whoever finds the almond receives a marzipan pig. By then Paul and Carl had their own tradition: swallowing the almond. I felt so guilty looking at that poor rejected pig.
I started my own tradition and ate him... along with the cake.

There's a Christmas carol that goes: "Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat..."
Well, the goose isn't the only one.