Kosher Italian Cook Alessandra Rovati Shares Authentic and Innovative Passover Dishes

Want to spice up your seder and make your guests mouth water? Follow one or all of the authentic Italian recipes that Alessandra Rovati, a self-taught kosher Italian cook is offering, and your friends and family will be begging for an invitation to your table next year.


Matzah Gnocchi with Light Tomato & Leek Sauce

Ingredientsgnocchi
(serves 4-6 as an appetizer)

•11 matzahs, broken into small pieces
•half a salami, peeled and coarsely chopped
•3-4 spoonsfuls of matzah meal, plus more to dust the gnocchi
•2 eggs
•1 tablespoon freshly minced parsley
•A pinch of nutmeg
•Salt and pepper

Instructions

Soak the matzah in cold water or broth for at least 1 hr or until soft.
Drain, squeeze well, and place into a clean bowl; add the eggs, salt and pepper to taste, the parsley and nutmeg, the salami, and 3 or 4 tbsps. matzah meal. Mix all the ingredients together.
In a second bowl place some more matzah meal. With a wet tablespoon or a scooper take some of the mixture and place it on top of the matzah meal; using your hands, or by shaking the bowl you should be able to cover this "gnocco" more or less evenly with matzah meal and to shape it into a ping-pong size ball (just like a matzah ball).
Proceed with the rest of the mix and place the gnocchi on a piece of paper towel.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; drop in the gnocchi, and scoop them out as they raise to surface using a slotted skimmer.
Dress with the following light tomato sauce:
Heat 4 tablespoons EV olive oil and add 2 thinly sliced leeks and a whole clove of garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring, and discard the garlic. Add a 28-ounce can of peeled tomatoes, break them down with your hands, and add to the leeks.  Season with salt and pepper and a pinch of sugar. Cook for about 10-15 minutes uncovered, allowing the sauce to thicken.
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Chocolate Salamichocolate salami

Ingredients

•- 6 tablespoons water
•- 1/2 cup sugar
•- a pinch of salt
•- 2 cups semisweet chocolate, grated (or semi-sweet chocolate chips)
•- 2-3 tablespoons of orange liqueur, or a few drops of vanilla or almond extract
•- 1 cup shelled walnuts, or pistachios
•- 1 cup broken Passover cookies (or more nuts for a gluten-free version)
•- 2 tablespoons candied orange (optional)

 
Boil the water in a pot. Lower the heat, add the sugar and cook for about one minute. Add the chocolate and stir until smooth. Remove from the stovetop and add extract or liqueur, the broken cookies, nuts, and candied peel if using. Taste and add more sugar if you prefer a sweeter flavor. Refrigerate for a few minutes (in the refrigerator); when it's lukewarm,  shape it into one or more logs wrapping it tightly in plastic wrap or parchment. Allow to rest in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours. About 20 minutes before serving, unwrap and cut into slices.


Bocca di dame al Caramello (Lady's Mouth Cake with Orange Caramel)cake bocca pesach

·2 small organic oranges
·1 organic lemon
·2 cups ground almonds
·1/2 cups sugar
·3 or 4 tablespoons fine matzah meal
·5 large eggs, separated (use 3 yolks and 5 whites)
·a pinch of salt
·toasted, slivered almonds to decorate

Grate the zest of an orange and set it aside. Place the peeled orange in a small pot, cover it with water and bring to a boil. Drain, dry and set aside.

Beat the egg yolks with 2/3 of the sugar and the salt. Add the ground almonds and the matzah meal, the zest of the second orange and of the lemon,  and combine well. In a separate bowl beat the whites with an electric whisk until stiff; gently incorporate them into the batter with a spatula, using an upward motion. Line a baking pan with oven-proof parchment and pour the batter into it.

Bake at 350 F - uncovered for the first 20 minutes, then covered with foil for 15 or 20 more minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool down on a rack, then cut into squares. In the meantime, melt the remaining sugar with the water in which you boiled the orange over low heat, stirring constantly, until it forms a caramel that you will brush on top of the cake. Decorate with slivered almonds.



About Alessandra Rovati

Alessandra Rovati is a food writer with a focus on Jewish and Kosher Italian Cuisine. rovati alessandra
Born and raised in Venice, Italy, she now lives in New York City with her husband and children. Besides contributing to several magazines, Alessandra teaches cooking classes and lectures about Italian culinary traditions. She also posts free recipes and cooking tips on her website www.dinnerinvenice.com.
Alessandra's articles and recipes have been published in The New YorkTimes, The Forward, Joy of Kosher, Kosher Inspired, Hadassah Magazine, Bitayavon, The Jewish Voice, the Australian Jewish Week and more. She has also been featured on Foxnews.com Live, and her video has appeared on thejewishweek.com.

Photos courtesy of A. Rovati & D. Cassaro, Headshot: Steve Lars Photo




Check back in a few days for Part 2 of Alessandra's amazing recipes!