SWEET REMEMBRANCES | 1, 2, 3, 4

Passover
This most important of Jewish holidays takes place in the spring, in March or April. It lasts seven or eight days and celebrates the ancient Hebrews' deliverance from Egyptian slavery. Matzo is served instead of bread as a reminder of the hasty departure from Egypt. There was no time to make bread with a rising step, so the bread they did make before their journey was flat. It became the first matzo, or unleavened bread. More ritual and ceremony are associated with Passover than with any other Jewish holiday. Some typical Passover desserts include meringue kisses, which contain no flour or added leavening agents; sponge cakes made with matzo meal; nut cake; and fresh fruit.

Preheat oven to 250°F.

Beat egg whites and salt at medium speed of a mixer until foamy. Add cream of tartar; beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating at medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Add vanilla; beat well. Fold in pine nuts and chocolate.

Cover a baking sheet with parchement paper. Spoon egg white mixture into 16 mounds on prepared baking sheet. Bake at 250°F for 1 hour or until dry to touch. (Meringues are done when the surface is dry and can be removed from paper without sticking to fingers.) Turn oven off, and partially open oven door; leave meringues in oven 30 minutes. Remove from oven; carefully remove meringues from paper. Store meringues in an airtight container up to 3 days.

16 servings.

Calories 87 (28% from fat); Fat 2.7g (0.9 gram saturated fat); Protein 1.8g; Carb 15.3g; Fiber 0.1g; Chol 0mg; Iron 0.4mg; Sodium 32mg; Calcium 3mg.

Shavuoth
This holiday, lasting two days, is celebrated in May or June, seven weeks after Passover. It honors Moses' receiving the Ten Commandments and the Judaic scriptures, or Torah. Dairy products are usually served during Shavuoth, perhaps because milk from livestock is plentiful during this time.

Place cottage cheese in a blender or food processor, and process until smooth, scraping sides of processor bowl once. Add cream cheese, sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla; process until smooth. Pour mixture into a bowl; cover and chill.

Place flour in a medium bowl. Combine milk, oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla, salt, and eggs, and add to flour, stirring with a whisk until almost smooth. Cover and chill 2 hours.

Place a 10-inch crepe pan or nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat until hot. Remove skillet from heat. Pour 3 tablespoons batter into pan; quickly tilt pan in all directions so batter covers skillet with a thin film. Cook about 1 minute.

Carefully lift edge of crepe with a spatula to test for doneness. The crepe is ready to turn when it can be shaken loose from the pan and the underside is lightly browned. Turn crepe over; cook 30 seconds on other side.

Place crepe on a towel; cool. Repeat procedure with remaining batter. Stack crepes between single sheets of wax paper or paper towels to prevent sticking.

Spoon 3 tablespoons cottage cheese mixture in center of each crepe; fold sides and ends of crepe over filling to form a rectangle. Place filled crepes, seam sides down, on a baking sheet lined with plastic wrap. (Blintzes may be covered and chilled at this point).

Place a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat until hot. Place blintzes, seam sides down, in skillet; cook 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Turn blintzes over; cook for 2 minutes. Repeat procedure with remaining blintzes. Serve warm with blueberries, and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

8 servings (serving size: 1 blintz and 1/4 cup blueberries).

Calories 176 (29% from fat); Fat 5.7g (2.2 gram saturated fat); Protein 9.1g; Carb 22.1g; Fiber 1.9g; Chol 63mg; Iron 63mg; Sodium 256mg; Calcium 82mg.

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Contributing Editor Greg Patent lives in Missoula, Montana, and is the author of New Cooking of the Old West.

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