When I was a child I always accompanied my father to shul for the Ne’ilah service on Yom Kippur — this year on Saturday, Sept. 25. I would watch the dusky autumn sky vigilantly for the first three twinkling stars and listen in anticipation for the piercing blast of the shofar. This signaled that breaking the long fast was imminent and we would be on our way to the gathering at our house.
My mother always served foods that were light and simple restoratives, usually including both salty and sweet dishes. An assortment of spreads and smoked fish, bagels, a pretty platter of sliced tomatoes and cucumbers, a noodle kugel and her famous fruit kuchen were beloved standards.
Countless years later, my mother’s break-the-fast traditions live on with a tradition of my own: a seasonal soup to begin the meal. An easy-to-prepare plum cake satisfies a natural craving for something sweet.
Fresh Vegetable Noodle Soup | Serves 10-12
3 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 leek, white part only, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 large carrot, diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded, deveined and diced
1 small fennel bulb, chopped
1/2 head cabbage, shredded
4 plum tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 cup chopped parsley
6 cups vegetable broth
3 cups water
4 oz. spinach, coarsely chopped
8 oz. fine egg noodles, cooked
salt and pepper
In a large pot, heat the oil. Cook onion, leek, celery, carrot, red pepper, fennel and cabbage until barely tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, zucchini, oregano, and parsley. Cook until bubbly, about 2 minutes. Add broth and water and simmer 20 minutes. Stir in spinach and noodles and cook about 1 minute Add salt and pepper to taste. Cool and refrigerate. Just before serving, reheat and taste again for salt.
Feta Cheese Spread | Serves about 10
12 oz. feta cheese
4 oz. ricotta or cottage cheese
4 green onions, thinly sliced
8 pitted black olives, chopped
8 pitted green olives, chopped
6 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
2 Tbs. chopped basil leaves, plus some for garnish
In a food processor combine all ingredients until you have a rough paste.
Remove to a serving dish and sprinkle with basil. Serve with bagels or pita.
Fruit Kuchen | Serves 8-10
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup plus 11/2 Tbs. sugar
2 large eggs
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
5 large plums (about 1 1/4 ounds), pitted, cut into 1/2-inch wedges*
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan. Whisk first 3 ingredients in small bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in 3/4 cup sugar. Add eggs 1 at a time, then lemon juice and lemon peel, beating until blended after each addition. Beat in flour mixture. Spread batter in prepared pan.
Press plum wedges halfway into batter in concentric circles, spacing slightly apart. Mix remaining 1 1/2 Tbs. sugar and cinnamon in small bowl; sprinkle over plums. Bake until cake is browned on top and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Cut around cake; release pan sides. After cooling, wrap in plastic or foil. May be made 1-2 days ahead.
*Nectarines, peaches, pears or apples may be substituted.
Louise Fiszer is a Palo Alto cooking teacher, author and the co-author of “Jewish Holiday Cooking.” Her columns alternate with those of Rebecca Ets-Hokin. Questions and recipe ideas can be sent to j. or to [email protected].