Every year, Jews around the world gather to celebrate Passover by participating in a Seder. Guests join together to retell the story of the Exodus from Egypt, and then enjoy a festive meal with family and friends.
The meal often begins with a soup, such as matzo ball soup, and sometimes an egg drop soup (hard-boiled eggs in cold saltwater). Next is a fish course like gefilte fish. This is a blended mixture of a minced whitefish (such as pike) and onion, seasonings, and herbs that is molded into individual loaves and then poached. It can be sweet or savory and is served with horseradish.
Almost any vegetable will do at the Passover meal, but there are a few that fall under the category of kitniyot (foods that can be pulverized into a flour), which includes legumes, beans, peas, rice, millet, corn, and seeds. There are some Ashkenazi Jews who choose not to eat kitniyot on Passover. That still leaves plenty of other choices, though, such as these Balsamic Shallot Brussel Sprouts. Asparagus and artichokes are always a nice idea since they are Spring vegetables.
Although you can really serve anything for the Passover dinner—as long as the ingredients are kosher for Passover—there are a few recipes that are traditional. Our Onion Jam Chicken would be a great dish for Seder.
Since a starch including flour is not permitted, potatoes are a ubiquitous side dish; they can be as simple as roasted potatoes, made into Passover potato latkes, or prepared into a casserole like a kugel. Did you know that you can grill baby potatoes with sea salt, rosemary and toss them in any one of our Bellisari’s Spreads and Sauces to make the perfect Seder dinner side dish?
Dessert can be a little tricky since so many of them contain flour or rise when baked. However, there are plenty of kosher-for-Passover and gluten-free cakes and cookies that are delicious and perfect to serve at the end of the festive meal. Oftentimes, when making Passover desserts, people go out of their way to make something that is meant to seem like it isn't Kosher for Passover, like flourless chocolate cake. These confections can be absolutely delicious, but there's also something to be said for a treat that fully embraces itself and the holiday! Enter Chocolate Matzo Toffee. This candy has become a post-Seder classic and is a great way to utilize any extra matzo you bought. A dried fruit compote or a fresh berry salad is also a wonderful accompaniment to the dessert selections.
Because the Passover meal is full of traditions, I’m sure it’s easy to fall back on traditional family recipes, and some of those are the absolute best. However, if you’re looking to change things up a bit, don’t be afraid to try some new recipes this year. Happy Passover from all of us at Bellisari’s!
