New Israeli recipes for Rosh Hashana from Adeena Sussman

We turned to a talented home cook who is also a gifted professional recipe developer for unique Israeli Rosh Hashana recipes from her new cookbooks. Adeena Sussman gives us vibrant Israeli dishes in the spirit of her book “Sababa,” which translates to “everything is awesome.” Her smoky eggplant galette and crisp apple and pomegranate slaw definitely are.

Round foods are often served on the new year to symbolize the cycle of the year. Sussman’s round galette topped with round tomato slices captures that imagery beautifully and is an ideal main dish for vegetarians or for a midday meal. Her slaw works any time of day and combines apples and pomegranates, both of which are eaten on Rosh Hashana. Sussman says, “The pomegranates — a symbol of fertility and prosperity — are a Jewish High Holiday classic. Apples dipped in honey are a Rosh Hashana standard, and here the combination is deconstructed: the apples in the salad, the honey in the dressing.”

Cabbage, Apple and Pomegranate Slaw with Cumin Dressing

30 minutes. Serves 8 to 10.

Adeena Sussman asks, “How can I count the ways I love this slaw?” This recipe is a fresher, more colorful version of the wilted cabbage salad you’ll find on every self-serve falafel or shawarma bar. Tart apples and pomegranate seeds, loads of fresh herbs, two kinds of crunchy cabbage, and pumpkin seeds come together in a cumin-laced dressing that evokes the flavor profile of falafel itself.

Ingredients

• 1 medium apple, cored and thinly sliced
• ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
• 4 cups shredded green cabbage
• 4 cups shredded red cabbage
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 large carrot, shredded
• 2 scallions, very thinly sliced
• 2 medium radishes, very thinly sliced
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons whole-grain Dijon mustard
• 1½ tablespoons honey
• 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup pomegranate seeds
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• ¼ cup chopped fresh mint
• ½ cup lightly toasted shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

Instructions

1. Toss the apples with 1 teaspoon of the vinegar in a large bowl, then add the green and red cabbage, onion, carrot and scallions and toss. Combine the olive oil, remaining vinegar, honey, mustard, cumin, salt and pepper in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake until creamy.
2. Pour the dressing over the salad, toss to coat, and let the slaw sit for at least 15 minutes (30 minutes will really mellow the acidity of the vinegar), then toss again with the pomegranate seeds, cilantro, mint and pumpkin seeds before serving.

Recipe adapted from “Sababa” by Adeena Sussman

Smoky Eggplant and Feta Galette

2 hours. Serves 6.

Adeena Sussman learned a version of this recipe from fellow cookbook author Shaily Lipa, who learned it from her grandmother. The dough shares the French pâte à choux technique of cooking on the stovetop first, but the addition of vinegar makes it easy to roll. The resulting crust is incredibly flaky and Sussman’s smoky eggplant filling decadent. If you’d like, omit the cheeses. The tart will still be delicious without.

Ingredients

Filling

• 1 jumbo or 2 medium Italian eggplants (1½ pounds)
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small jalapeno, seeded and sliced into thin rings
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Dough

• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar

Topping

• 1 large egg, whisked with ½ teaspoon water and a pinch of salt
• ½ cup (¾ ounce) finely grated kashkaval or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1 small Roma tomato, sliced into thin rounds
• 6 pitted kalamata olives

Instructions

1. Make the filling: Heat a grill to high or turn on a gas burner on a stovetop to high. Place the eggplant over the heat and cook, turning, until charred, about 10 minutes. Chop the charred eggplant until chunky and transfer it to a large bowl. Gently fold in the feta, dill, olive oil, jalapeno, salt and black pepper until incorporated.
2. Make the dough: Whisk the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl. Bring the vegetable oil, ⅔ cup water and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. (The water will form ½-inch bubbles that begin to pop through the oil.) Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the vinegar, then add the flour mixture all at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the flour drinks up the liquid and a unified, velvety dough forms; let the dough cool for 10 minutes.
3. Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
4. Set a large piece of parchment paper on the counter. Using lightly floured hands, form the dough into a ball. Place it in the center of the parchment paper and gently roll it into a 12-inch round about ¼ inch thick. (The dough is soft.) Transfer the dough-topped parchment paper to a baking sheet.
5. Dollop the filling into the center of the dough round and spread it out, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges. Fold the dough up and over the filling so that the dough forms a 1-inch frame around the filling.
6. Top the galette: Brush the edges of the dough with the egg mixture, then sprinkle the edges with the cheese. Arrange the tomato slices and olives on top of the galette and bake until the tomatoes are wilted and the dough is golden and flaky, 35 to 40 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.

Make ahead
The dough can be prepared, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerated for up to 1 day before rolling and baking.

Recipe adapted from “Sababa” by Adeena Sussman