Recipe: Fried dishes for Hanukkah, including Cheese Sambusak

Serves 4.

Note: To add extra seasoning to your schnitzel, add 1/4 cup dukkah (see recipe) to the breadcrumb mixture. From: "Sababa," by Adeena Sussman.

• 1 c. dried regular breadcrumbs

• 1/2 c. panko breadcrumbs

• 1/4 c. sesame seeds

• 1 tsp. fine sea salt, divided, plus more for seasoning

• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

• 1/2 tsp. paprika

• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, divided, plus more for seasoning

• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper, or more if you like it hot

• 2 leggs, beaten

• 1/2 c. flour

• 4 (6-oz.) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

• 1/2 c. vegetable oil, for frying, plus more as needed

Directions

In a shallow dish, combine the dried breadcrumbs, panko, sesame seeds, ½ teaspoon of the salt, garlic powder, paprika, ¼ teaspoon of the black pepper, and the cayenne. Place the beaten eggs in another shallow dish.

In a third shallow dish, combine the flour with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.

Season the chicken generously with salt and black pepper. Place each piece between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound lightly with a mallet to achieve a thickness anywhere between 1/8 and 1/4 inch. If you prefer your schnitzels to be smaller, this is the time to halve them.

Line a sheet tray with parchment. Dredge the cutlets in the flour, then the egg, then the breadcrumb mixture, shaking off the excess after each step and pressing the crumbs in firmly on both sides. Arrange them on the sheet tray as you finish the breading process. If desired, wait 30 minutes before frying (this helps the crumbs adhere better).

In a heavy skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes; the oil should be hot but not smoking. Working in batches, lay 2 cutlets in the pan and fry until the underside is golden brown and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and fry for 2 to 3 more minutes. Drain on paper towels, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve hot.

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories750Fat43 g

Sodium920 mgCarbohydrates39 g

Saturated fat8 gAdded sugars2 g

Protein50 gCholesterol200 mgDietary fiber3 g

Exchanges per serving: 1 starch, 1 ½ carb, 7 lean protein, 6 fat.

Makes about 3/4 cup.

Note: Dukkah is an Egyptian spice blend used as a topping. Hazelnuts can be swapped for almonds, pistachios or peanuts. From: "Sababa," by Adeena Sussman.

• 1 c. hazelnuts, preferably blanched

• 1/2 c. raw white sesame seeds

• 3 tbsp. whole coriander seeds • 3 tbsp. whole cumin seeds

• 2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

• 1 tsp. sugar

• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Place the hazelnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and toast until the nuts are lightly browned, 9 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely. If the nuts have skins on them, rub them between two clean kitchen towels to remove and discard as much of the loose, papery skins as possible (if you don't get them all, it's OK).

While the hazelnuts are roasting, toast the sesame seeds in a medium, dry skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until golden and fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool.

Add the coriander and cumin seeds to the same skillet and toast until fragrant and the seeds begin to pop, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a separate plate to cool.

Grind the cumin and coriander in a spice grinder until powdery and transfer to the bowl of a food processor. Add the hazelnuts, pepper, sugar, and salt and process until the mixture looks like fine sand, being careful not to overprocess the nuts into paste, 15 to 20 seconds.

Transfer to a bowl and add the sesame seeds. Store in an airtight container in a cool place for up to 1 month.

Makes about 2 dozen.

Note: From: "The Jewish Cookbook," by Leah Koenig.

Dough:

• 1/2 c. vegetable oil

• 1 egg

• 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

• 2 1/2 c. flour

Filling:

• 8 oz. crumbled feta cheese

• 4 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated

• 2 eggs

• 1/2 tsp. onion powder, optional

• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt

• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

For assembly:

• Flour, for dusting

• 1 egg beaten with 1 tsp. water

• Sesame seeds, for topping, optional

Directions

To make the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, 1/2 cup water, egg, and salt until well combined and foamy. Stir in the flour, a little at a time, until a soft dough forms (you might not use the full 2 1/2 cups). Form the dough into a disc, wrap with plastic wrap, and let sit at room temperature while making the filling.

To make the filling: In a food processor, combine the feta, Parmesan, eggs, onion powder (if using), salt and pepper and pulse until a thick paste forms.

To assemble: Pinch off a walnut-size piece of dough and roll it into a ball. Working on a lightly floured surface, roll it out into a 4-inch round. Place a heaping tablespoon of the filling into the middle of the round. Fold one side of the round over to the other to make a half-moon, pinching it tightly to seal the filling inside. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.

Line a large plate with two layers of paper towel. In a large saucepan, heat 2 inches vegetable oil over medium heat. Gently slip the turnovers into the hot oil in batches of 4 or 5 and fry until golden brown, flipping once halfway through, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the fried sambusak to the paper towels to drain.

Nutrition information per each of 24:

Calories210Fat6 g

Sodium310 mgCarbohydrates11 g

Saturated fat4 gAdded sugars0 g

Protein5 gCholesterol40 mg

Dietary fiber0g

Exchanges per serving: 1 starch, 1 fat.

Serves 6.

Note: From "Little Book of Jewish Sweets," by Leah Koenig.

• 2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast

• 1/4 c. plus 1 tsp. sugar, divided

• 3/4 c. warm water

• 3 to 4 c. flour

• 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom

• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

• 2 large egg yolks

• 1/4 c. milk or almond milk

• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

• Vegetable oil for frying

Cardamom Sugar:

• 1 c. sugar

• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom

• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Directions

Stir together the yeast, 1 tsp. of the sugar, and the warm water in a large bowl, and let sit until bubbling and frothy, 5 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together 3 cups of the flour, the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, the cardamom, and salt in a separate bowl. Stir the egg yolks, milk and vanilla into the yeast mixture. Add the flour mixture in two additions, stirring until the dough begins to come together.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead, adding up to 1 cup of flour, a little at a time, until the dough is smooth and supple, 5 to 10 minutes. (You may not need all of the flour.) The kneading can also be done in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook for 5 to 7 minutes.

Rub about 1 tsp. of vegetable oil around the large bowl; place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let the dough sit in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.

Line a large plate with paper towels. Add oil to a medium saucepan until it's about 1 1/2 inches deep and set the pan over the medium heat until the temperature reaches 365 on a candy or deep-frying thermometer. Working in batches of five or six, pinch off walnut-size pieces of dough, roll each into a ball shape, and drop into the hot oil. Fry, flipping once, until puffed, golden and cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes total. Transfer with a slotted spoon to the prepared plate to drain.

Make the cardamom sugar: Stir together the sugar, cardamom and cinnamon in a large bowl. Working in batches, add the warm bimuelos to the mixture and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories540Fat21 g

Sodium170 mgCarbohydrates81 g

Saturated fat4 gAdded sugars31 g

Protein8 gCholesterol60 mg

Dietary fiber3 g

Exchanges per serving: 3 starch, 2 ½ carb, 3 ½ fat.