Cook In Israel is the new cookbook written by Orly Ziv. Orly contacted me a few months ago and told me about her cooking school in Israel and the cookbook she was working on. It sounded very exciting, but to be honest I wasn’t sure what to expect. A few months later this gorgeous new cookbook filled with my favorite kinds of Israeli style recipes showed up at my doorstep. I learned that Katherine Martinelli, a long time friend of joyofkosher took the photos! Needless to say I am excited to share this book with you and to learn more about Orly and her new cookbook.
I feel a kindred spirit with you being that we are both nutritionists and I love that your book is mostly vegetarian. How did you decide which recipes to include?
I run a cooking school in Israel and so I chose recipes that my guests really like first. Then I added more of my favorite recipes that us eggplant and tomatoes, my two favorite vegetables, there can never be enough recipes to use them. I added recipes for the Jewish holidays and my family’s preferred recipes.
Can you tell me a bit about your Greek heritage and how it has affected your cooking?
I grew up on Sephardic cooking which meant lots of tomato sauce, eggplants and feta cheese. I guess that is why those are my two favorite vegetables. We used to have borekas for Shabbat breakfast and my mother and grandmother used to make them fresh every week. We also ate lots of fish at home and not as much meat, so you can see the influence.
Your recipes are all very quick and easy, but sometimes I am sure you cook something more difficult. What is the most time consuming dish you make and why do you think it is worth it?
I do cook very simple food with fresh high quality ingredients. When using fresh quality ingredients you do not need to complicate the cooking as you want the fresh flavors of the food. However, making Borekitas from scratch is more time consuming just like baking your own challah, but the taste is heaven.
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Since you offer cooking classes regularly I am sure you have many tips for our readers, please share what you feel is your best tip. My best tip is cutting an onion without crying, all you have to do is keep the root on until the end. One of my guests wrote on TripAdvisor: “Orly showed me how to cut an onion without tearing up. This is a ‘life-changer’!”.
Can you pick your favorite recipe in the book and share it with us?
This is difficult as all the recipes are my favorites 🙂 but since you ask I’ll share the challah bread which I make every Friday. If you follow the recipe as is you’ll get the same results every time and you’ll stop buying it from the store. I even had a non Jewish guest prepare the challah for Thanksgiving dinner.
Which recipe do you feel is the most quintessential Israeli, that everyone should know how to cook?
I always teach homemade hummus. It is famous in Israel and easy to make. One time a couple came to my class and the wife told me that her husband doesn’t really like hummus, but she still wanted to learn how to prepare it. A few weeks later she wrote to tell me how often she makes and how much her husband loves it. All my guests really love hummus and it is very healthy, especially mind without any preservatives or vegetable oil as in store bought hummus.
Thank you so much Orly for talking to us and for sharing your recipes for Challah, Hummus and by special request Malabi, a middle eastern rose water pudding that can be made dairy or parve, can’t wait to try.
Go to Cook In Israel to find out more about Orly, her culinary tours, cooking classes and how to purchase this book, Buy Now.
Love Israeli food. Also fond of sephardic style food but not so familiar with making it myself. Looking forward to checking out the recipes!
That sounds all so yum! I would love to try out a few recipes. Great to learn about your cooking school as well – maybe that is an option for the future as well!
It’s the perfect cookbook for a new Olah like me!
everything things so yummy in this book!
looking fwd to a cookbook that’s practical to use in Israel
I find this website inspiring and look forward to trying out recipes
Can’t wait to see this book – good luck with it.
looking forward to seeing this new cookbook, jamies interview with the author made the book sound great
Need to perfect a shakshuka recipe!
Thank you Tamar for a beautiful article!
The recipe in the book is very healthy it uses only chickpeas, tahini, boiled onion and boiled garlic seasoned with olive oil, paprika and fresh parsley. It doesn’t contain any preservatives, bicarbonate powder as in some recipes or vegetable oil in ready made hummus.
The leek patties and the sfongato an eggplant baked with cheese are the two recipes from my early food memories
We normally use za’atar for seasoning salads and cheese. Find recipe for tabbouleh salad with za’atar in the book
Robert there are two spice mixture that we use one is called rus-el-hanout from the north african kitchen and the other is ‘baharat’ from the iraqi kitchen. They have between 5- 8 spices and they are used for meat balls, stuffed vegetables, rice and meat dishes.
My husband loves
Eggplant and I am always looking for new recipes.
Thank you Lisa
Yes. there are similar dips
Thank you Shainy
I live in a place where no one has ever HEARD of Israeli cuisine, much less had it!!! I ca’t wait to try out Orly’s recipes here for a taste sensation
I made the Poyte in my new Poyte pot….outstanding!…indeed
I have been making a sweet challah recipe for many years and am looking for a recipe that is less sweet. This challah recipe sounds perfect.
can’t wait to make challah from your cookbook. I love to try new recipes
What is different in your hummus from store bought?
Waiting to try your challah recipes.
Would love to try some recipes from this book. Which recipe is the one with the most personal history with it?
I love Israeli cuisine and would love to learn how to cook it!!
We love israeli foods and this recipe book would be a welcome addition to our variety of foods….thank you for your consideration.
Do all the recipes have conversions to American measurements? It looks fabulous, I would love to win!
Love all kinds of cookbooks!
Wonderful recipes . . . I really want that cookbook!!!
I love cookbooks. This looks like a great one to add to my collection. Can’t wait to try the Malabi recipe!
This cookbook looks fantastic. I love Israeli cuisine, and so does my family! One day I would love to win a cookbook giveaway and this would be a good one to win! 😉
I am always looking for great Israeli cookbooks (in English)! Very excited to check it out in full and particularly thrilled for malabi!
Are there any recipes using za’atar in the cookbook?
looks sooooo yummy!!!
I have never tried Israeli food so it would be great if I win this prize. Thank you for the chance.
I run a center for Israelis in America, and I absolutely would LOVE to win this book, it would help me so much for all the huge meals I have every week and on all the chagim!
I so hope I win this- it looks so useful!
so exciting would love to cook Israeli style especially since my daughter is making aliyah shortly
I would LOVE to win this cookbook! Good luck, everyone!
I’m always looking for exotic seasonings or spice mixtures. Any thoughts on that?
Just returned home from Israel and already miss the amazing food!
Just returned home from Israel and already miss the amazing food!!
I absolutely love the cook book and whomever wins will be so happy!!!
I’m always looking for easy cookbooks.
what are some key Israeli ingredients/spices everyone should have in their pantry?
Sounds interesting
Do you have dip recipes similar to those served at Eucalyptus in the Old City?
What’s the best way to prepare a fresh artichoke?
Looks amazing can’t wait to see the book!