Cheese Strudel

In our family, there are always latkes for Hanukkah.

SERIOUSLY! WOULD THERE EVER BE ANY DOUBT ABOUT THAT?!

But also, we always have some dish that includes cheese, to honor Judith, who played a major part in the Maccabee victory. You can read all about it here.

Most often I make cheese-filled blintzes, because … blintzes! One of man/womankind’s all-time favorite foods. One of my favorites, anyway.

When I am feeling even more ambitious, I make potato-cheese kreplach. Boy do I LOVE those! In fact, they are on my list of top-five foods of all time.

But this year, the dairy dish will be cheese strudel because this coming Sunday (December 13th) I am giving a Zoom demo of Hanukkah foods for my local Hadassah chapter and one of the recipes I am making will be cheese strudel. My husband and I will have some of it for dessert and then I will have the leftovers to stash away for New Year’s, when my cousins come after they have quarantined so they can be with us! New Year’s Eve might seem normal this year!

Cheese strudel — for Hanukkah. For New Year’s. Whenever!

Cheese Strudel 

• 10 sheets phyllo dough

• 3-4 tablespoons butter

• 1-1/2 cups farmer cheese

• 4 ounces cream cheese

• 1/3 cup sour cream

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1 large egg yolk

• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel

• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/3-1/2 cup raisins, optional

• 3 tablespoons bread crumbs, approximately

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Open the package of phyllo dough and cover the sheets with a barely moist kitchen towel. Melt the butter and keep warm over low heat. Place the farmer cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, egg yolk, flour, lemon peel, vanilla extract, salt and raisins, if used, in a bowl and mix to combine the ingredients. Place one sheet of phyllo dough on a work surface and brush lightly with some of the melted butter. Sprinkle with some bread crumbs (about 1/2 tablespoon). Layer a second sheet of phyllo on top, Lightly brush with butter, sprinkle with some bread crumbs and repeat for a third and fourth layer. Add a final fifth sheet on top. Spoon half the cheese mixture down the long side of the phyllo sheet leaving about one inch on each end. Roll the dough over the cheese and finish rolling, jellyroll style until the roll is complete. Place the roll, seam side down. On the parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat with another five sheets of phyllo and the remaining cheese mixture. Place the second roll on the baking sheet. Brush the surface of the rolls with remaining butter. Chill for about one hour. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes 2 rolls, each serving 4-6 people

Baked Goat Cheese with Honey Sauce and Cranberries

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On Hanukkah let’s not forget that a woman played a major role in the victory of the Maccabees in that battle, over 2000 years ago, that saved the Jewish people from complete annihilation. That woman was Judith, who visited Holofernes, a general in the enemy camp, and he fell in love with her so he asked her to dine with him.

During the meal Judith gave him great quantities of cheese, which made him very thirsty, so he kept drinking wine. He drank so much that he got drunk and fell asleep and Judith cut off his head with his own sword. And so she was able to get word to the Maccabees about the best time to strike.

Since that fateful victory we have been making merry every year with an 8 day Hanukkah celebration. 

Can there be a celebration without food? 

Absolutely not!

Everyone knows about Hanukkah latkes. Some know about the doughnuts. These fried foods memorialize the oil the Maccabees found when they went to rededicate the Temple. There was supposed to be enough for one day but miraculously, it lasted for 8 days.

But not a lot of people know that cheese has been an important Hanukkah food since way back. In fact, cheese was the first “traditional” Hanukkah ingredient. Jewish cooks used them for Cheese Latkes, which became really popular. Unfortunately not everyone could afford cheese so they substituted potato. 

The rest is culinary history.

But for those who can afford and love to eat cheese, how about something to remember the brave, intrepid Judith?

Like this fast, easy and simple dessert:

Baked Goat Cheese with Honey Sauce and Cranberries

• 4 round crackers, preferably sweet
• 4 ounces soft fresh goat cheese
• 1/4 cup honey
• 3 tablespoons dried cranberries
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped toasted almonds
• mint leaves

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the crackers on a lightly oiled cookie sheet. Slice the cheese into 4 equal rounds and place them on the cookie sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes or until the cheese has softened and the edges begin to brown. While the cheese is baking, combine the honey and cranberries in a saucepan and cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes or until warm. Place the cheese on dessert plates. Pour the honey/cranberry sauce on top. Sprinkle with the toasted almonds. Garnish each with a mint leaf.

Make 4 servings