Flourless Recipes, for Passover and Year-Round

When it comes to Passover and any other diet-restricting events or circumstances, I'm a firm believer in eating things you'd enjoy any other time. Forget matzah-meal muffins and "Passover rolls." I'd rather eat undressed lettuce and oranges for a week straight than endure those lame excuses for bread. Gluten-free folks may feel differently, since their restrictions aren't temporary; for the rest of us, I strongly recommend sticking to recipes for delicious things that happen not to call for flour.

For our eating pleasure, I've compiled a small list of flourless baked goods. These are recipes I've gathered over the years -- one as recently as last week -- that help ease the annoyance of going without bread for a week (or more).

Chocolate Puddle Cookies

Courtesy of the lovely Heidi at 101cookbooks, the batter for these cookies looks like, well, a big puddle, but the blobs bake up into crackly, tender morsels. They take approximately 15 minutes, start to finish, and are the perfect answer to a sudden cookie craving.

3 cups / 11 oz / 310 g walnut halves, toasted & cooled 4 cups / 1 lb / 453 g confectioner's (powdered) sugar 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons / 2 oz / 60 g unsweetened cocoa powder scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt 4 large egg whites, room temperature 1 tablespoon real, good-quality vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 320 degrees. Line three rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.

Make sure your walnuts have cooled a bit, then chop coarsely and set aside. Sift the confectioner's sugar and cocoa powder together. Stir in the walnuts, then add the egg whites and vanilla. Stir until well combined.

At this point you have two options: you can either add the salt to the batter and stir, or you can sprinkle a bit of salt atop each cookie. I like the second option, because you get a more prominent hit of salt with each bite.

Spoon the batter onto the prepared sheets in mounds of about 2 tablespoons each, allowing for PLENTY of room between cookies. Don't try to get more than 6 cookies on each sheet, as the cookies expand a lot in the oven. For the same reason, don't scoop the batter too close to the edge of the pan.

Bake about 12-15 minutes, watching carefully at the 12-minute mark: the tops should be glossy and cracked. If your oven is very uneven, rotate pans side to side and/or back to front halfway through. My cookies didn't need a second longer than 12 minutes.

Slide the cookies still on parchment onto a cooling rack, and let them cool completely. They will keep in an airtight container for a couple days.

Makes 18 large cookies.

Italian Chocolate Almond Torte

From Alice Medrich's wonderful book Pure Dessert, this cake is sophisticated and elegant, finished with a dusting of cocoa and topped with a dollop of unsweetened whipped cream. Your guests will never know its main ingredients are almond flour and egg whites. Another lovely surprise is the flakes of ground, not melted, chocolate running through the batter. I've spent the past three weeks searching for my images of this torte, but I'm afraid they've been lost in the tangle of pictures that is my laptop. Imagination will have to suffice.

Italian Chocolate Almond Torte adapted slightly from Alice Medrich's wonderful book, Pure Dessert

1 cup (5 oz) blanched or unblanched whola almonds 7 oz. high-quality bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped 3/4 cup sugar, divided 1/4 teaspoon salt 7 large egg whites (about 1 cup) 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar powdered sugar or unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting unsweetened whipped cream for serving

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round springform pan, and line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.

In a food processor, combine almonds, chocolate, 1/4 cup sugar, and salt and pulse until almonds and chocolate are very fine but "not completely pulverized." Alternatively, you can use almond flour and just pulse the chocolate -- but grinding fresh almonds will give this cake a great texture.

In a very clean, dry bowl of a stand mixer or a large metal bowl using a hand mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/2 cup sugar to egg whites, and continue beating until egg whites form stiff peaks but are not dry. Gradually add almond mixture to egg whites, in thirds, folding the two together with a spatula.

Scrape the batter into the springform pan and use spatula to smooth out the top. Bake until the torte has risen and is golden brown on top, and a toothpick inserted comes out with nothing more than some melted chocolate on it, 25-30 minutes (mine took 25 exactly). Set the pan on a rack to cool for 10 minutes, then slide a knife around the perimeter of the cake and carefully remove the sides of the pan. Invert the cake onto the rack -- or, if the grates on your rack aren't fine enough, use a plate -- and remove the bottom of the pan and then the parchment liner. Use two plates to flip the cake rightside up again, and cool completely. Cover the cake or tightly wrap it, and store for up to 3 days at room temperature.

To serve, dust with cocoa, and top each slice with a dallop of unsweetened whipped cream.

Meringues

Meringues are, in my opinion, the ultimate Passover dessert. They're flourless, thoroughly enjoyable, and highly customizable. Last year, my mom and I made some several varieties. One had chopped walnuts and a bit of coffee (they were divine), another had plenty of vanilla and a sprinkle of chocolate chips. The possibilities here are limited only by your imagination. Try adding lemon or orange zest to a batch with pecans, or almond extract and a bit of cocoa for a totally different flavor. I've already written out the recipe for meringues here.

Macarons

The ultimate in flourless delicacies, Macarons are having a moment in the spotlight these days. They're a pain in the derriere to make, but when you put these out at the end of your Seder or dinner party, guests will know you're their biggest fan. Recipe and detailed instructions for macarons can be found here.

But hold up! We're already talking about dessert and you haven't even finished making dinner! I hear ya. If you're still trying to sort out the rest of your Passover menu, here are a few ideas:

Tamarind-Cherry Meatballs

Short post today, but I wanted to offer a recipe that puts the tamarind puree I recently posted to good use. These meatballs are really a cinch to make; they're studded with rich, nutty pine nuts, and the sweet-tart sauce, with fresh and dried sour cherries and plenty of tamarind, is downright addictive. The recipe is a combination/adaptation of two recipes, both from Aromas of Aleppo, that beautiful Syrian Jewish cookbook I mentioned in my post on tamarind puree. Sour cherries are done for the season here in DC; if they're over in your area as well, you can substitute frozen sour cherries, available at some grocery stores, or replace the fresh ones with more dried cherries, and add a bit of extra apple cider or wine or even water to compensate for smaller amount of cherry juice.

I served these with saffron rice, which provided both flavor and color contrast to the meatballs. The combination was perfect, and I highly recommend it.

Sour Cherry Meatballs adapted from Aromas of Aleppo

1 pounds ground beef, preferably NOT lean (if lean, add a couple Tbsp. olive oil) 1/2 cup chopped pinenuts a couple sprigs of parsley, leaves removed and chopped 1 1/2 teaspoons allspice, divided 3 onions, diced 1 pound sour cherries or 2 cans/jars pitted cherries, including liquid (NOT pie filling!) 3 tablespoons tamarind puree juice of 1 lemon 1 tablespoon sugar 1 cup red wine 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes 3 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil, divided

Combine beef, pine nuts, parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon allspice in a medium mixing bowl. Using a fork and a light hand, break up ground beef and incorporate other ingredients; do not overmix or press too hard, as you want beef to stay light and airy.

In a medium saucepan, saute meatballs in 2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil over medium heat, until lightly browned, turning gently to brown on all sides. Remove meatballs and set aside.

Using the same saucepan, saute the onions in the remaining tablespoon oil over medium heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add liquid from cherries (if fresh, use 1/2 cup water or apple cider instead), lemon juice, tamarind puree, red wine, 1 teaspoon allspice, and crushed tomatoes. Stir to combine; bring to a boil. Add meatballs and cherries back into the pan. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 1 hour, or until sauce has thickened.

Serve hot, either over pita or over saffron rice.

Vegetarian Passover Main Dishes

imgp4748 See the notes before each recipe for ways to make recipe non-dairy.

One week from today, Jews will celebrate the holiday of Passover, in which we tell the story of our enslavement in Egypt, our eventual exodus from slavery, and our future wandering in the desert and entering of the land of Israel. As tradition has it, the Jews left Egypt in the wee hours of the morning, and thus did not have a chance to let their daily bread dough rise before baking it. As a result, during the whole holiday of Passover, we are not supposed to eat any leavened product of any kind. Once flour and water come in contact, they must be cooked and ready to eat no more than 18 minutes later. That's where matzah comes into play: it's "bread" that is made and baked in record speed, and it's a staple during the course of the holiday (even if it's totally flavorless and not so kind on the stomach).

Faced with a prohibition on eating any bread, cake, muffins, and other good carbs, many folks make Passover into a meatfest. Not in this house, though: I grew up in a pescetarian household, and Passover was no exception. As you might imagine, this made good Passover cooking a challenge. If you can't use any flour in what you cook -- including non-wheat flour -- what do you make as a main dish?

In the past couple weeks, I've gotten more than a few questions from people who are vegetarians or are hosting vegetarians over Passover and are at a loss for what to serve. While I won't say that I don't miss flour on Passover -- because I do, and I get very, very excited for my annual pizza trip after the holiday ends -- I will say that there are a lot of great ideas for Passover-friendly vegetarian mains, things that are truly delicious and will take the edge off Passover prohibition. My philosophy is that the best dishes are the ones you would make even if it weren't Passover. With that in mind, I've gathered together a few recipes to share, as well as some tips about ways to alter regular recipes for the holiday. Also, a note to my gluten-free readers: Passover is truly a gluten-free goldmine. Because nothing contains flour, kosher-for-Passover can't develop gluten. I hope this post contains some valuable info for you, and feel free to chime in below, in the comments, if you've got other ideas! Without further ado...

Note: I've made a separate page for each recipe for easy printing. The titles below link to the respective pages; simply choose the "print this post" option to print out the recipe. However, do try to limit your printing, for tree-friendly reasons.

Five Vegetarian Passover Mains Dishes

Squash Stuffed with Quinoa, Pears and Cranberries from the archives

1 red onion 2 firm pears, any kind will do 1 stalk celery ¼ cup pecans 1 bunch fresh thyme 1 small container apple juice (total ½ cup) 1 small container vegetable broth (total 2 cups: can substitute water) 4 delicata squash, depending on size, or 2 butternut squash 1 box quinoa of any variety

Bring the broth to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the quinoa and cook according to the directions on the package. (We cooked ours over medium heat for ten or so minutes, then turned off the heat and let it steam the rest of the way.)

Once the heat has been turned off, add the diced pears and cover the pot, allowing them to par-cook with the quinoa.

Meanwhile, sauté onion and celery in a couple Tbsp of olive oil over medium heat, until soft and translucent. Add thyme, and continue to sauté. (Here’s the truth: we let the onion and celery go on a bit too long, and it got a bit charred…and delicious. I highly recommend charring the onion and celery!)

Add the cranberries, onion/celery/thyme, pecans and apple juice to the cooked quinoa, and toss. If needed, add salt and pepper.

Halve squash, and remove seeds. Roast squash face down on a sheet pan covered in parchment paper until a knife can easily pierce the flesh -- about 45 minutes for butternut and 15 for delicata. Turn over and allow to cool about 20 minutes.

Fill squash with quinoa mixture; if desired, drizzle with a bit of honey. Serve warm.

Spinach and Roasted Red Pepper Gratin adapted from Epicurious

It's quite hard to make a gratin without any cream or cheese; however, there's another great way to get all these flavors that's dairy free and delicious: a roasted vegetable terrine. See this post for the recipe.

4 10-ounce bags fresh spinach leaves 3 red bell peppers 1 1/2 tablespoons butter 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil 3 medium leeks (white and pale green parts only), thinly sliced (about 3 cups) 1 large shallot, chopped (about 1/4 cup) 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 cup whipping cream 4 large eggs 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese 1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Heat large deep nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches (about 10 cups at a time), sauté fresh spinach in dry skillet until bright green and wilted, about 2 minutes per batch. Transfer spinach to strainer. Squeeze spinach dry; roll in kitchen towel to remove excess water.

Char peppers directly over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose in paper bag; let stand 10 minutes. Peel, seed, and slice peppers into 1/4-inch-wide strips.

Melt butter with oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks, shallot, and garlic; cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk cream and eggs in large bowl to blend. Whisk in all cheeses, salt, and pepper. Stir in spinach, leek mixture, and 2/3 of roasted red peppers (reserve 1/3 of peppers for topping). (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Transfer spinach mixture to prepared dish. Bake gratin until knife inserted into center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Arrange remaining red pepper strips decoratively atop gratin and serve.

Butternut Squash and Creamed-Spinach Gratin adapted from Gourmet

While this wouldn't be a gratin without the cream and Parmesan, it can be transformed into something equally flavorful. Cube butternut squash and roast in a 450-degree oven for 25-30 minutes, until brown and caramelized. Cook onion and garlic in olive oil for about 10 minutes, until translucent and starting to brown. Add in some pine nuts -- about a handful -- and let them toast, about 4 minutes. Add all of spinach, and cook just until wilted, about 1 and a half minutes. Salt and pepper; combine with squash, and serve.

3 pounds fresh spinach, stems discarded, or 3 (10-ounce) packages frozen leaf spinach, thawed 5 tablespoons unsalted butter plus additional for greasing pan 3/4 cup finely chopped onion (1 small) 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 3/4 teaspoon black pepper Rounded 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 1 cup heavy cream 4 pounds butternut squash (2 large), peeled, quartered, and seeded 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

If using fresh spinach, bring 1 inch water to a boil in a 6- to 8-quart pot over high heat. Add spinach, a few handfuls at a time, and cook, turning with tongs, until wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water.

Thoroughly squeeze cooked fresh or thawed frozen spinach in small handfuls to remove excess moisture, then coarsely chop and transfer to a bowl.

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in an 8-inch heavy skillet over moderately low heat, then cook onion and garlic, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add onion mixture to spinach along with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and cream and stir to combine.

Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 400°F. Butter a 3-quart shallow baking dish (13 by 9 inches; not glass).

Cut squash to separate bulb section from solid neck section, then cut pieces lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick slices with slicer or sharp knife (with knife, slices will be slightly thicker -- which is fine).

Layer squash and spinach mixture in baking dish, using about one fifth of squash and one fourth of spinach for each layer, beginning and ending with squash. Sprinkle top layer of squash evenly with cheese and dot with remaining 2 tablespoons butter, then cover directly with a sheet of parchment or wax paper. Bake until squash is tender and filling is bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove paper and bake gratin until browned in spots, 10 to 15 minutes, or broil 3 inches from heat, 2 to 3 minutes.

Eggplant Involtini with Feta adapted from Nigella Lawson

2-3 large eggplants, cut lengthwise in thin slices 3 cups (about 1 jar) tomato sauce 2 cups crumbled feta cheese plus extra for topping 1 cup grated parmesan plus extra for topping 1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped 1/2 cup raisins, soaked in hot water for 10 minutes (optional) 1/2 cup black or kalamata olives, sliced 4 tbsp olive oil 1 garlic clove, crushed or finely chopped zest from 1 lemon a good pinch of dried mint 2 Tbsp parsley 1 egg

Brush the eggplant slices on both sides with olive oil and grill or roast them in a 400-degree oven until soft, about 10 minutes per side.

Mix all filling ingredients in a large bowl and stir to combine. Put about a tablespoon of filling on each eggplant slice and roll it up firmly. Use a toothpick to hold in place, or just ensure that the edge is tucked underneath the roll to prevent it from coming undone.

Layer the slices in a 9x13 dish, and cover with tomato sauce. Top with any remaining filling, or extra cheese if you have. Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes. The involtini should be served warm (lukewarm according to Nigella, but I prefer them warm).

Crisp Potato Eggplant Tart adapted from Great American Food, by Charlie Palmer with Judith Choate

2 1/4 cups finely diced, peeled eggplant 1 teaspoon coarse salt plus more to taste 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons safflower oil 3 tablespoons minced shallots 4 large Idaho potatoes Pepper 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

Place eggplant in a nonreactive bowl. Toss with 1 teaspoon of salt and allow to sit for 20 minutes. Remove to a clean kitchen towel and tightly twist to squeeze out all moisture. Set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add the eggplant and shallots and sauté for about 6 minutes, or until very tender. Remove from heat and set aside.

Peel potatoes. Using a hand grater or mandoline, shred potatoes into a clean kitchen towel. Tightly twist to squeeze out as much moisture as possible.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Heat remaining 1/4 cup of oil in a 9-inch ovenproof, nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. Using a spatula, evenly press half of the potatoes into the pan. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread the reserved eggplant over the top. Pat remaining potatoes evenly over the eggplant. Again, season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until bottom is golden. Carefully turn and dab the crust with bits of butter. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until bottom begins to crisp. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes, or until potatoes are cooked and tart is golden and crisp. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut into 6 wedges and serve immediately.

Crisp Potato Eggplant Tart

This is a dead-simple dish that can serve as a side to a good steak, or as a vegetarian main dish. It's not too difficult to make, and the payoff is worth the trouble. Crisp Potato Eggplant Tart adapted from Great American Food, by Charlie Palmer with Judith Choate

2 1/4 cups finely diced, peeled eggplant 1 teaspoon coarse salt plus more to taste 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons safflower oil 3 tablespoons minced shallots 4 large Idaho potatoes Pepper 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

Place eggplant in a nonreactive bowl. Toss with 1 teaspoon of salt and allow to sit for 20 minutes. Remove to a clean kitchen towel and tightly twist to squeeze out all moisture. Set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add the eggplant and shallots and sauté for about 6 minutes, or until very tender. Remove from heat and set aside.

Peel potatoes. Using a hand grater or mandoline, shred potatoes into a clean kitchen towel. Tightly twist to squeeze out as much moisture as possible.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Heat remaining 1/4 cup of oil in a 9-inch ovenproof, nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. Using a spatula, evenly press half of the potatoes into the pan. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread the reserved eggplant over the top. Pat remaining potatoes evenly over the eggplant. Again, season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until bottom is golden. Carefully turn and dab the crust with bits of butter. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until bottom begins to crisp. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes, or until potatoes are cooked and tart is golden and crisp. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut into 6 wedges and serve immediately.