Your favorite Jewish foods, updated for Passover

JTA – Two of my family’s favorite dishes are schnitzel and rainbow cookies, and I have a feeling your family may feel the same. Here’s some great news about both: they very easily translate into Passover-friendly versions with minor adjustments. 

 While you could serve them for your seder meals, both are great to enjoy during chol hamoed, the intermediate days of the holiday, when you’re sick of eating leftover brisket and coconut macaroons. 

Passover-Friendly 

Chicken Schnitzel

Schnitzel is satisfying and easy to make, and will be the perfect dinner served with some roasted potatoes and a simple green salad.

Ingredients

2 pounds chicken cutlets

Salt and pepper

2 eggs, beaten

2 teaspoons kosher-for-Passover mustard or hot sauce 

1 teaspoon water

1 1/2 cups matzah meal

1/2 cup almond meal

2 tablespoons sesame seeds (optional)

2 tablespoons dried parsley

1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon sea salt 

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Vegetable or canola oil for frying

Directions

Combine eggs, mustard or hot sauce and water in a large bowl. Combine matzah meal, almond meal, sesame seeds (if using), parsley, paprika, salt and pepper in another large bowl.

Dredge each chicken cutlet in egg mixture, then in matzah meal mixture, pressing down to ensure the entire piece is covered. Lay flat on a plate or baking sheet.

Pour oil into large sauté pan to about 1 1/2 inches deep over medium-high heat.

Fry chicken cutlets in batches, 2-3 at a time, until golden on each side – depending on thickness of chicken, around 3 minutes each side. Take care not to overcrowd the pan or chicken will not cook properly.

Remove from pan and allow to cool on a wire rack. 

While chicken is still hot from pan, sprinkle each cutlet with additional pinch of salt. 

Passover-Friendly 

Rainbow Cookies

Rainbow cookies are such a beloved American staple. The task may seem intimating, but once you make your own – especially this Passover-friendly version – you will never go back to the store-bought version. 

Ingredients

For the cake:

4 eggs

1 cup white sugar

4 ounces almond paste, broken into little pieces or processed in food processor for 30 seconds

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter or margarine

1/2 cup matzah cake meal

1/2 cup blanched almond flour (not almond meal)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon kosher-for-Passover vanilla extract

Red and green food coloring (about 8 drops each)

For the chocolate glaze:

1 cup dark or semisweet chocolate chips

1 tablespoon vegetable shortening or vegetable oil

Pinch salt

Raspberry jam

Equipment: 3 square baking pans, offset spatula, scale.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease your pans. Add parchment paper to bottom of each pan. Grease again and add light dusting of matzah cake meal. Tap pan to remove any excess.

Using a hand mixer (or whisk attachment to stand mixer), mix eggs and sugar until thick and yellow. Add crumbled almond paste and combine.

Add melted butter (or margarine), matzah cake meal, almond flour, salt and vanilla. 

Divide batter into 3 even amounts. (Try using a food scale if eyeballing is too difficult). Leave one plain. Add green food coloring to one batch of batter. Add red food coloring to the other batch of batter.

Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake for 8-9 minutes, or until just set and no longer wet in the middle.

Allow to cool completely.

Place chocolate, shortening and pinch of salt in a glass bowl. Microwave for 30-second intervals until melted. Stir vigorously to ensure there are no clumps.

Place a piece of parchment paper on top of a platter or baking sheet. Add red cake layer to parchment paper. Spread thin layer of raspberry jam. Top with white layer. Add another thin layer of raspberry jam. Top with green cake.

Carefully spread half the melted chocolate on top. Place in refrigerator for 15-20 minutes or until completely hard. 

Turn over and spread remaining chocolate on other side. Place back in refrigerator for 30 minutes or overnight. 

Trim edges and slice into cookies.