Rugalech

Our Hebrew elective students are becoming master pastry chefs, this week preparing an old eastern European treat - Rugalech (literally, little rolls in Yiddish). Rugalech are traditionally made with cinnamon and raisins and are rolled into crescent shapes. Since most eastern European Jewish households couldn't easily afford the cinnamon and raisins, these treats were reserved for very special occasions, such as Rosh Ha'Shana and happy life cycle events such as brit milah (circumcision) and wedding ceremonies.

La'seem g'veena le'vana, kemach, ve'chem'a b'toch ha'ke'ara ha'g'dola, v'larbev otam la'asot et ha'batzek (Put the cottage cheese, flour, and butter into the large bowl, and stir them to make the dough)

La'seem et ha'batzek al ha'shoolchan v'legalgel et ha'batzek (Put the dough on the table and roll the dough)

L'galgel et ha'batzek le'tzoorat eegool (Roll the dough into a circle shape)

Achshav, leechtoch et ha'batzek l'shmona esrei meshulasheem (Now, cut the dough into 18 triangles)

La'seem kama me'ha'meshulasheem al ha'tavneet (Put a few of the triangles on the baking sheet)...

...ve'az la'seem kama tzeemookeem al ha'tzad he'achi rachav shel kol meshulash... (...and then put a few raisins on the widest side of each triangle...)

...v'la'seem k'tzat keenamon v'sookar al ha'tzeemookeem. (...and put a little cinnamon and sugar on the raisins.)

Achshav, le'galgel et ha'meshulash me'ha'tzad he'achi rachav l'sof ha'meshulash (Now, roll the triangle from its widest side to its end)

La'seem keenamon v'sookar al ha'meshulash ha'megoolgal (Put cinnamon and sugar on the rolled-up triangle)

V'ha'kol moochan la'seem ba'tanoor (And everything is ready to put in the oven)

I can attest to the fact that the final results all tasted as wonderfully as they look!  I'm also happy to report that after reading ingredients for some more original recipes which were borrowed by Jews in eastern Europe (borscht and chopped liver), the students were able to quickly pick out the non-kosher ingredients and suggest kosher substitutions. They were also able to share with me that the rugalech we prepared this week should never be served after a meat or poultry meal. Why?  Because we used "chem'a" (butter) to make the dough.