Hamantaschen Recipes for Purim!

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Happy YASSSletter Thursday Gingis!

Wow, we can't believe our 6 weeks in Israel are soon coming to an end. Our time abroad has been something out of a dream and next we'll be sending out a full recap of our trip to Israel with the name of restaurants, farms, and special places we stayed. We feel so grateful to have been able to truly travel the country from north to south, visiting producers, hiking the desert, drinking wine in vineyards, tasting olive oils made from ancient trees, and watching the sunset over the Mediterranean.

BUT, this week we are focused on Purim - which is happening early next week on March 6th. Purim, which literally means “lots” and is sometimes known as the Feast of Lots, is the Jewish holiday in which Jews commemorate being saved from persecution in the ancient Persian Empire. This holiday is celebrated with hamantaschen cookies AND awesome costumes (similar to Halloween!).

So without further ado, this week we are diving deep into the world of Purim and triangular shaped goodies!

1. 📜 History + Origin: Purim & Hamantaschen Cookies!

2. 🍊 Pistachio & Orange Hamantaschen Recipe

3. 🍫 Nutella Hamantaschen Recipe

4. 🎃 BONUS RECIPE: Bishak (Bukharian Pumpkin Pastry)

📜 History + Origin: Purim & Hamantaschen Cookies

Purim is a Jewish holiday to celebrate the Jewish people being saved from Haman. During this holiday, the biblical book of Esther is read, which tells the story of how Esther saved the Jews of Persia from annihilation at the hands of the wicked Haman.

The holiday is celebrated with costumes, parades, plays, carnivals, matanot l'evyonim (the giving of charity), mishloach manot (giving food baskets to family and friends), special pastries and a festive meal featuring traditional foods.

For Ashkenazi Jews, perhaps the most widely held food tradition on Purim is eating triangular-shaped foods including Hamantaschen.

One legends explains that the tradition to eat hamantaschen on Purim appears to have begun in Europe. The name is derived from two German words: mohn (poppy seed) and taschen (pockets). Mohntaschen, or "poppy seed pockets," were a popular German pastry dating from medieval times. Around the late 1500s, German Jews dubbed them Hamantaschen, or "Haman's pockets." The play on words likely references the rumor that the evil Haman's pockets were filled with bribe money. Plus, mohn sounds like Haman.

Another legend has it that the triangular shape of the cookie is a reference to hat Haman worn during battle. While yet anther explanations talks about how Queen Esther derived strength from her ancestors, and the three corners of the hamantaschen cookie represent the three patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob).

To really get your head spinning...In Israel, hamantashen are called oznei haman, which means Haman's ears. Why? This tradition is related to a Midrash (Jewish commentary on the Hebrew Scriptures) that describes Haman (the villain) bent over and shamed, with "oznayim mekutafot" (clipped ears) after his defeat. So the cookies came to be known as "clipped ears". However it is unclear when the name for these pastries evolved from oznayim (ears), as they'd long been known, to the Purim-specific oznei haman.

Historically, eating Haman's pockets, (or ears, or hat...) was meant as a way to symbolically destroy his memory. Today, they're usually seen as an iconic fixture of mishloach manot and the sugary fuel for raucous Purim festivities.

🍊 Pistachio Orange Hamantaschen

Purim is around the corner and I’m super excited. I was born on Purim, which makes it one of my favorite holidays! Hamantaschen are originally a poppyseeds pocket cookie but throughout the years the've evolved into many interesting versions. I decided to open the holiday’s celebrations with this wonderful pistachio-orange hamantaschen. The pistachio & citrus combination is just out of this world. You can prepare the dough and the filling in advance and make fresh hamantaschen to satiate your need every morning.

🍫 Nutella Hamantaschen

Hamantaschen Cookies are ready the best most mouthwatering cookies of all time, but now add Nutella? The combination is addicting. I love to make these cookies super tiny, so I use a small glass to make sure that they are perfectly bite sized and so I can indulge in the full 25 cookies. Gingis, please note that almost everyone over cookies these cuties - and the secret is to take them out of the over JUST as they begin to change color - don't want for them to full turn!

🎃 BONUS RECIPE: Bishak (Bukharian Pumpkin Pastry)

In theme with our triangular shaped goodies for Purim, I have something special for you all - Bishak, a Buharian Baked Pumpkin Pastry. These savory baked pumpkin pastries, known as kadoo bishak, are a specialty of Bukharian Jews. Soft dough filled with pumpkin, onion, garlic, and spices. They are so delicious that I simply don’t understand how they are not the number one star of the fall season. Bishak is traditionally served as an appetizer or a snack. There are many varieties to bishak, ones made with meat and others with cheese, but so far the pumpkin-filled ones are my favorites! Bonus: They are vegan, which makes me even more excited. You have to try them. Make a batch for your family and friends. I promise they will shovel them down in no time!

Hope you have a weekend full of YASSS! Until next Thursday Gingis.

Love, Ben xx

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