What is your earliest cooking memory?
My earliest cooking memory is probably about my mother preparing our family meals. I used to sit on the kitchen floor, obviously getting in her way, and stare at her while she was cooking until she would let me join her. My fondest memory is snapping fresh and plump peas out of their shells: that was fun!
What is your favorite kitchen gadget?
I’m very fond of my Kitchen Aid stand mixer, mainly because it allows me to save time and energy when kneading homemade bread, which is something I love. There’s nothing better than a crunchy bread made from scratch fresh out of the oven.
What’s your favorite kosher dish to cook?
I am an Italian Jew of sephardic descent: my favourite kosher dishes, therefore, have middle Eastern or North-african flavours. My signature Shabbat dinner recipe is “lubia bel kemun”, a spicy stew with cumin that is simply perfect accompanied by cous cous.
Who is your cooking inspiration?
Being very young – I’m only 22 – I must say that my inspiration comes first of all from my family: to me, my mum and grandmother are simply the best cooks in the world. On the other hand, I’m also inspired by celebrity chefs who still keep their food simple and homely, such as Jamie Oliver and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.
Please share a favorite cooking tip or trick with our readers.
I once wrote awhole post with my cooking tricks. Shoud I name just one, very special trick, here it is: add a slice of apple in the oil when you’re frying, and a pinch of coarse salt. The first will save you and your kitchen from the horrible frying smell, the latter will prevent oil spatters on the stove. I know it sounds weird, but it really works: give it a try!
Which recipes are you sharing with us today?
Being, as I said, of both Italian and North-African origin, I’d love to share two recipes, one Italian – Homemade Pasta, and one Libyan – Pumpkin Tershi, plus the one I’ve mentioned before, Lubia Bel Kemun.
Jasmine lives in Milan, Italy, and writes about Italian and Jewish food on Labna. You can find her on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest as well.
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