This time of year is rife with symbols of celebration, strength, and miracles for the Jewish people.  Representations of Channukah include everything from eight nights of light in the darkest time of year to little chocolates shaped like Maccabees.  But where are the images of women in our annual retelling of the Channukah story?  In the traditional religious-school versions, all the major players in the story are men. 

            And yet, we find an incredible symbol of women’s strength in an unlikely place: Channukah food.  Traditionally, we eat dairy this time of year, but many of us don’t know the origin of this custom.  The Book of Judith tells the story of a beautiful young widow whose town was attacked by the Assyrian army.  Rather than wait for a rescue that may not come, Judith  takes matters into her own hands: she goes to the invading army’s camp, where her attractiveness earns her an invitation to the general’s tent.  Once inside, she feeds the general a very salty cheese.  Naturally this made him thirsty, and Judith offers him wine.  When the schnockered general falls asleep, Judith decapitates him with his own sword, and therefore throws the army into disarray and saves her town. 

Over time, this story has become conflated with Channukah lore, even occasionally rendering Judith as the daughter of Judah Maccabee.  Whether or not this was actually the case, dairy became a traditional Channukah food to honor Judith’s bravery and cleverness. 

            But this isn’t just one of my usual Judaism-and-food articles.  This time of year (especially), we all want to enjoy our food, not just learn about it.  So this time around, I’m including a fantastic recipe for a traditional but forgotten Channukah dairy treat.  The cheese dumpling is a lot like a latke made with mascarpone and goat cheese instead of potato.  It may sound strange, but I have had the wonderful opportunity to taste Rabbi Gil Marks’ delicious version in person, and believe me- they’re heavenly!  I’ve taken his recipe for “Central European Cheese Dumplings” from epicurious.com. 

 

Ingredients

 

    * 1 3/4 cups (14 ounces) pot of soft goat cheese

    * 1/4 cup (2 ounces) cream cheese or mascarpone, softened

    * 1/4 cup grated onion

    * 1 teaspoon table salt or 2 teaspoons kosher salt

    * 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

    * 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

    * About 3/4 cup semolina flour, farina (not quick-cooking), or matzo meal

 

Preparation

 

1. In a food processor or blender, or with an electric mixer, combine the cheeses, onion, and salt. Add the eggs and beat until smooth. Beat in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Stir in enough of the semolina to produce a firm dough. (Getting the moisture level right so that the batter holds together in your hand is the tricky part.) Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. (The semolina absorbs moisture from the batter and firms it.)

 

2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a gentle boil. Using 2 moistened soup spoons or your hands moistened with water, form the batter into 1 1/2-inch balls.

 

3. Drop the dumplings in the water in batches and stir gently to prevent sticking. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until they expand and rise to the surface, about 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl. Serve warm. To keep warm or reheat, place in a 200°F oven.

 

If you would like to learn more about Gil Marks and his award-winning Jewish cookbooks, I highly recommend you take a look at his website, gilmarks.com. This Channukah season, celebrate the strength of womanhood by enjoying a tasty new treat!