THE SEPHARDIC WAY SPANISH-INFLUENCED DISHES HONOR THE JEWISH NEW YEAR WITH A CONTEMPORARY TWIST.

Byline: Natalie Haughton Food Editor

To celebrate Rosh Hashana, the start of the Jewish year, which begins at sundown Friday, branch out and offer Sephardic dishes with a contemporary flair. Kaye Israel of Los Angeles, who was brought up on Sephardic cuisine, shares some of her family holiday favorites that have been passed down through the generations.

Israel grew up on Sephardic-style Mediterranean cuisine from recipes her parents brought with them to this country in the early 1900s from the island of Rhodes (under Turkish rule at that time), where they relied on vegetables grown on the island rather than a lot of meat. ``We cook with lots of onions, tomatoes, olive oil, lemon juice and spices like parsley, mint and dill,'' she noted.

``Our family's Sephardic cooking has Turkish, Greek and Spanish influences,'' Israel pointed out, but in the context of Jewish dietary laws that prohibit mixing meat and dairy dishes. The nuances of this culinary style vary with cooks and their heritage, but in the end it boils down to dishes with similar tastes.

The style of Jewish cooking more familiar to most Americans is that of Ashkenazic Jews (the majority of Jews in North America - usually from central and Eastern Europe). Ashkenazic cooks often use spices with a light hand, noodles, kreplach, carrots, potatoes, cabbage, cauliflower, fresh-water fish, cured and smoked fish along with horseradish, and fresh and dried fruits. The favorite breads are braided challah, bagels and rye bread while the favored desserts include fruit and cheese blintzes, cheesecakes, strudels, honey cakes and tortes.

In Sephardic cooking, you'll often find a more liberal use of spices and herbs with chicken and beef the most-used meats. For special occasions, grilled meats and fish are popular. Salt-water fish are used in recipes and olives are served as appetizers and in other dishes.

Sesame seeds are important in breads. Rice is a staple - and often is served with garbanzo beans or tomato sauce. Fresh vegetables are also an integral part of menus and cooks use green string beans, peas, okra, artichokes, zucchini, eggplant, red or green peppers in numerous ways, including stuffing them. Israel cooks her veggies mostly with onions, tomatoes and some garlic.

Filo dough is used to make desserts like baklava, sweetened with sugar syrup or honey, or to make savory pastry turnovers filled with meat or potatoes and cheese. Sephardic cooks generally use fewer dairy products than Ashkenazic cooks.

On the first night of Rosh Hashana, Israel and her husband, Jack, will gather at their daughter Marcia Weingarten's home in Woodland Hills with nephews, nieces and other family members. Mother and daughter will share the holiday dinner chores.

But Israel dare not arrive without bags full of her signature boyos (savory spinach-and-cheese-filled pastries made with homemade filo dough) and bourekas (half-moon-shaped pastries filled with cheeses and mashed rice or potatoes) for her 10- and 14-year old grandsons, who like to stash them in the freezer for future snacking.

The group will dine on stuffed onions, macaroni and meat casserole, filo turnovers, homemade dinner rolls, a green salad with tomatoes and in-season vegetables like fresh green string beans or okra to signal the beginning of a new, fresh year. For Rosh Hashana, the bread (rolls) are dipped in sugar to signify a sweet year.

Unlike Ashkenazic Jews, who serve honey and apples along with honey cake for Rosh Hashana, Israel and other Sephardic Jews opt to offer other sweets including meringue cookies, baklava, biscochos (sugar cookies) and candied grapefruit for a sweet beginning for the Jewish New Year.

Any of Israel's recipes can be served throughout the High Holy Days or year round.

The word Sephardic is from Sepharad, the Hebrew word for Spain. Many Sephardic Jews are descendants of the Spanish Jews who were exiled from Spain in 1492 and settled in other Mediterranean countries. Sephardic cooking from Morocco, other North African countries and the Middle East uses more exotic spices like cumin, saffron, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon and allspice, etc. - and sometimes even chiles.

SEVOLLAS REINADOS

(Stuffed Onions)

6 to 8 medium onions

1 slice bread

Water

1 pound lean ground beef

3 eggs

Salt and pepper to taste

Small amount chopped celery leaves OR chopped parsley (optional)

Flour as needed for topping

6 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 cup tomato sauce

Pinch sugar

Cut onions in halves vertically (lengthwise). Separate outer layers into double thickness to make cups that can be filled. (Reserve inner onion portions for bottom of casserole dish.) Soak bread in water 2 to 3 minutes and squeeze out moisture. Combine with beef, 2 eggs and seasonings, mixing well.

Fill onion cups with beef mixture. Dip top of meat into flour, then into remaining 1 egg, beaten. Add oil to skillet and heat. Fry dipped side first until golden brown. Turn and fry other side slightly. Place meat side up in an 8x11-inch glass casserole dish lined with remaining onions, chopped.

Mix together tomato sauce, 1 cup water and pinch sugar; pour over top. Cover casserole with foil. Bake in preheated 300-degree oven 1 hour. Makes 6 servings.

MAKARON REINADO

(Macaroni and Meat Casserole)

1 1/2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni

Water

1/2 cup chopped onion (optional)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 pound lean ground beef

1 teaspoon salt

Pepper to taste

6 eggs, beaten

3 tablespoons chopped parsley OR celery leaves

Cook macaroni in boiling water until tender; rinse with water and drain. Saute onion in hot oil. Add beef, salt and pepper. Continue to saute until beef is cooked. Cool. Mix beef with cooked macaroni. Mix in eggs and parsley.

Turn into a heated, oiled 8x11 1/2-inch baking dish. Bake in preheated 375-degree oven 30 to 40 minutes, until browned on top. Makes 8 or more servings.

PAN DE KAZA 

(Dinner Rolls)

2 packages active dry yeast

Water

1 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar

8 to 10 cups flour

4 eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

Sesame seeds

Dissolve yeast in 1 cup warm water and 1 teaspoon sugar and allow to proof. Turn flour into a mixing bowl; make a well in center and add 3 eggs, remaining 1 cup sugar, oil, yeast mixture and 1 1/2 cups warm water. Work into a medium dough, adding more flour, if needed. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until double in bulk, at least 1 hour.

Punch dough down and knead lightly. Take a small portion of dough the size of an egg and with palms of both hands, roll into an 8-inch long rope. Make a knot-shape with each rope. Brush with remaining 1 egg, beaten, and dip rope knot in a flat dish of sesame seeds. Repeat until all dough is used. Place ropes 1/2-inch apart on a lightly floured baking pan. Let rise 1 hour or longer or until doubled in size.

Bake on middle shelf in preheated 350-degree oven 20 minutes or until golden. Makes about 3 1/2 dozen.

FRIGALDADOS

(Filo Turnovers)

1 pound filo dough

1 cup vegetable oil

Meat Filling

1 egg, beaten

Sesame seeds

Remove filo dough from freezer and allow to thaw in refrigerator overnight. Keep dough covered with a damp cloth while working. Place 1 sheet on flat surface and dab lightly with oil. Place a second sheet evenly over first sheet and with a sharp knife, cut layered filo dough into 6 equal strips.

Place 1 heaping teaspoon Meat Filling at lower corner of each strip. Fold filled corner into triangle. Continue folding triangle shape until you reach end of strip. Place formed turnovers side-by-side on a well-greased baking sheet.

Brush tops with beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven 20 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Makes about 4 dozen.

MEAT FILLING: Saute 1 onion, finely chopped, in 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Add 2 pounds lean ground beef and 1 teaspoon salt and brown well. Add 1/2 cup water; cover and simmer slowly, stirring occasionally, until all water has evaporated. Cool. Then mix in 4 eggs, beaten, 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley, 2 hard-cooked eggs, finely chopped, and pepper to taste.

NOTE: May be frozen. Heat frozen turnovers in preheated 300-degree oven about 15 to 20 minutes.

ASHUPLADOS

(Meringues)

4 egg whites

1 cup sugar

Beat egg whites until foamy. Add sugar gradually. Beat until very stiff and meringue holds its shape, about 5 to 8 minutes.

Drop by teaspoonfuls on baking sheets lined with parchment paper or foil. Place meringues in preheated 400-degree oven. Immediately reduce oven temperature to 225 degrees F. Bake about 45 minutes or until meringues lift easily from paper. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

BAKLAVA

(Rolled Variety)

1 pound filo dough, thawed

1 cup vegetable oil

Nut Filling

Syrup

Spread out 1 sheet of filo dough. Dab or lightly brush with oil. Over this, evenly place a second sheet of filo. Brush sheet with oil and lightly sprinkle with Nut Filling. Place a third sheet of filo over this, brush with oil and sprinkle with more Nut Filling. Roll up tightly (the 3 sheets together) jelly-roll fashion. Slice diagonally into 1-inch pieces. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Repeat until all filo dough and filling are used.

Bake in preheated 350-degree oven 20 minutes or until light golden. Cool. Freeze at this point, if desired. When ready to serve, prepare Syrup, cool and pour over individual pieces. Serve in paper candy cups. Makes about 4 to 5 dozen.

NUT FILLING: In a medium bowl, combine 5 cups almonds OR pecans, chopped fine in food processor, 1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves (optional) and 1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds (optional). Mix well.

SYRUP: In a saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1 1/2 cups honey and 1 cup water. Heat to boiling and cook until sticky, about 5 to 8 minutes, until syrup coats the back of a spoon. Do not overcook.

BISCOCHOS DE HUEVO

(Plain Sugar Cookies)

1 cup eggs (4 to 5 eggs, depending on size)

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

5 to 7 cups flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

Topping Choices (ideas follow)

In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat eggs and oil. Add sugar and vanilla and continue beating until well blended. Add flour and baking powder gradually. Knead into a medium dough until no longer sticky, adding more flour, if needed. Use as little flour as needed to form dough into rope shapes.

Take a walnut-sized dough piece and roll on a flat surface with palms of hands into a rope 5 inches long and only 1/2-inch thick. Press down with fingers to create a channel; fold rope over and cut slits into edge. Join into a bracelet shape. Dip top side into topping of choice; place on parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bake in preheated 350-degree oven 12 minutes or until lightly brown. Remove cookies from pans while still warm. Cool. Store in tightly sealed jar, tin or plastic container. May also be stored in freezer. Makes about 40 cookies.

TOPPING CHOICES: Sesame seeds, ground pecans OR a sugar/cinnamon mixture (1/2 cup sugar to 1 tablespoon cinnamon) may be used for topping. Brush cookies lightly with a well beaten egg and dip into sesame seeds or nuts. For sugar/cinnamon topping DO NOT brush with beaten egg; dip cookie directly into sugar/cinnamon mixture.

DULCE DE GAZO

(Candied Grapefruit Peel)

3 grapefruit

Water

3 cups sugar

Juice of 1 lemon

Peel the outer yellow skin of grapefruit as thin as possible and discard. Score the white skin (layer) of grapefruit into 8 vertical 2-inch strips (at widest point) and peel away from fruit (eat fruit or use later). Cut white strips in half.

In a saucepan, cover strips with water and boil 60 minutes. Discard water and cover with cold water. Let stand at room temperature 3 days, changing water daily.

After 3 days, prepare syrup by combining sugar and 1 1/2 cups water and boiling until soft ball stage (234 to 240 degrees F), stirring occasionally (or until mixture thickens slightly).

Squeeze excess water from grapefruit strips and drop into syrup. Add lemon juice. Simmer 15 to 20 minutes, until syrup thickens again, stirring often. Cool. Store strips in syrup in tightly covered jar in refrigerator.

CAPTION(S):

6 photos

Photo:

(1 -- cover -- color) Rosh Hashana

Welcome to the Jewish new year with Sephardic-style fare

(2 -- color) SEVOLLAS REINADOS (Stuffed Onions)

FRIGALDADOS (Filo Turnovers)

(3 -- color) MAKARON REINADO (Macaroni and Meat Casserole)

(4 -- color) PAN DE KAZA (Dinner Rolls)

(5 -- color) DULCE DE GAZO (Candied Grapefruit Peel)

(6 -- color) Marcia Weingarten with mother Kaye Israel

Gus Ruelas/Staff Photographer