Fink Family Recipes

Ingredients

Yeast Mixture:

• 1½ tsp rapid rise yeast
• ½ tsp sugar
• ⅔ cup lukewarm water (divided)

Wet Ingredients:

• 4 Tbsp honey
• ½ tsp salt
• 3 Tbsp canola oil (plus 1 tsp for greasing)
• 1 egg (for dough)

Dry Ingredients:

• 2½ cups bread flour or high gluten flour, sifted

For Egg Wash:

• 1 egg + 1 Tbsp milk or water

Instructions

1. Bloom the Yeast (5 min): Add yeast, sugar, and ¼ cup lukewarm water to bowl. Rest until foamy.
2. Mix Wet Ingredients (5 min): Add honey, salt, 3 Tbsp oil, egg, and remaining water. Mix well.
3. Add Flour & Knead (15-20 min): Add half the flour, mix until creamy. Add remaining flour (reserve ¼ cup). Knead until smooth and elastic. Should pass windowpane test.
4. First Rise (1.5-2 hours): Grease dough with remaining oil. Cover and place in warm spot. Let double in size. Use poke test to check readiness.
5. Shape & Braid (10 min): Punch down, divide into 3 or 6 pieces, roll into ropes, and braid.
6. Second Rise (20-30 min): Cover and let rise until puffy. Watch carefully - easy to over-proof!
7. Bake (35 min): Preheat oven to 350°F. Line sheet with parchment. Beat egg with 1 Tbsp milk for egg wash. Brush gently. Bake 30-35 min until golden. Tent with foil if browning too fast.
8. Cool & Store: Cool completely on wire rack. Store in ziplock bag for soft texture.

Pro Tips

• Poke Test: For both rises, gently press two fingers into dough - should spring back slowly
• Better under than over: Slightly under-proofed is better than over-proofed
• Soft crust: Dilute egg wash with milk/water and use parchment paper
• Storage: Store in airtight container - texture improves overnight!

Ingredients

For the Mac and Cheese:

• 1 lb elbow macaroni or shells
• 4 Tbsp (½ stick) butter
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups whole milk (warmed)
• 3 cups (12 oz) sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 cup (4 oz) gruyere or fontina, grated
• ½ cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ¼ tsp paprika (optional)

For the Topping:

• ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2 Tbsp butter, melted

Instructions

1. Cook Pasta (10 min): Boil pasta until 1 minute UNDER package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. Make Roux: Melt 4 Tbsp butter in large pot over medium heat. Whisk in flour. Cook 1 minute, whisking constantly.
3. Add Milk: Slowly whisk in warm milk (gradually to avoid lumps). Bring to simmer. Cook 3-4 min until thickened.
4. Add Cheese: Remove from heat. Stir in all cheeses until melted and smooth. Season with salt, pepper, and paprika.
5. Assemble: Mix pasta with cheese sauce. Pour into greased 9×13 baking dish. Mix panko with melted butter, sprinkle on top. Cover with foil.
6. Bake (30 min): Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake covered 20 min. Remove foil, bake 10-15 min more until golden and bubbly. Let sit 5 min before serving.

Pro Tips

• #1 Rule: Grate your own cheese - pre-shredded has anti-caking agents that make sauce grainy
• Warm milk first: Prevents lumps and helps it incorporate smoothly
• Undercook pasta: It continues cooking in the oven
• Make Ahead: Assemble completely, refrigerate up to 24 hours, add 10 min to baking time

Ingredients

Main Components:

• 1½ lbs penne pasta
• 3-4 cups cooked chicken, diced or shredded
• 3-4 cups broccoli florets, lightly steamed (bite-sized)

Cheese Sauce:

• 3 Tbsp butter
• 3 Tbsp flour
• 3 cups milk (2% or whole)
• ¾ cup chicken broth
• 6-8 slices Gruyère cheese, torn (about 1½-2 cups)
• 1½ cups shredded mozzarella

Seasonings:

• 1½ tsp salt
• ¾ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• Black pepper to taste

Panko Topping:

• ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2 Tbsp melted butter

Instructions

1. Prep: Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13 pan.
2. Cook pasta: Boil penne until just al dente. Drain well.
3. Steam broccoli: Steam until bright green and tender-crisp. Drain thoroughly and pat dry. Cut into bite-sized pieces.
4. Make cheese sauce: Melt butter, whisk in flour, cook 1 min. Slowly whisk in milk and broth. Cook 5-7 min until thickened. Lower heat, stir in cheeses until smooth. Add Dijon and seasonings.
5. Combine: Mix pasta, chicken, and broccoli with cheese sauce.
6. Assemble: Transfer to pan. Mix panko with melted butter, sprinkle on top.
7. Bake: Bake uncovered 30-35 min until bubbly and golden. Let stand 5 min.

Timeline for 5:30pm Dinner

• 4:15pm: Start prep (pasta, broccoli, chicken)
• 4:45pm: Make cheese sauce and combine
• 5:00pm: Into the oven (30-35 min)
• 5:30-5:35pm: Done!

Pro Tips

• Broccoli tip: Really drain and pat dry or it will water down the sauce
• Gruyère upgrade: Sliced Gruyère works great - just tear into pieces
• Make ahead: Assemble (except panko) and refrigerate. Add topping right before baking, may need 5-10 extra minutes
• Dijon boost: Adds depth without tasting like mustard

Ingredients

• 1 (3½-4 lb) whole chicken
• 2 large red onions, cut into ¾-inch wedges
• 2 whole garlic heads, halved horizontally
• 5 Tbsp olive oil (divided)
• Kosher salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 Tbsp paprika
• 1 Tbsp light brown sugar
• ½ cup dill leaves, chopped
• Dijon mustard, for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat & Prep Onions: Preheat oven to 450°F. Place onion wedges in cast iron skillet or roasting pan. Nestle halved garlic heads (cut side down) among onions. Drizzle with 3 Tbsp olive oil and 1 tsp salt. Toss gently, keeping garlic cut-side down.
2. Make Pastrami Rub: In small bowl, combine 1½ tsp salt (use 4 tsp if chicken isn't pre-salted), 1 Tbsp paprika, 1 Tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp black pepper, and 2 Tbsp olive oil. Mix until paste forms.
3. Rub Chicken: Place chicken breast-side up on top of onions. Rub paste ALL OVER chicken - get into every nook and cranny and don't forget the underside!
4. Roast (50-65 min): Roast chicken for 50-65 minutes. After 30 minutes, give onions a toss. If chicken gets too dark, tent with foil for remainder of cook time.
5. Finish & Serve: Sprinkle onions and garlic with chopped dill. Carve chicken and return pieces on top of schmaltzy onions. Serve with Dijon mustard for slathering!

Pro Tips

• High heat = crispy skin: 450°F makes beautifully crispy, golden skin
• The onions are the star: They get incredibly sweet and schmaltzy underneath the chicken
• Dijon is a must: Really delivers the deli pastrami sandwich experience
• Watch the darkness: If chicken browns too quickly, tent with foil
• Salt adjustment: Use less salt (1½ tsp) if using kosher chicken, full 4 tsp if not pre-salted
• Friday night favorite: Perfect for Shabbat dinner - easy and impressive

Recipe Notes

Source: Molly Baz's "Cook This Book"

Why it's amazing: The pastrami spice rub is magical, and the synergy of schmaltzy red onions with dill tastes like your favorite Jewish deli. It's like eating a pastrami sandwich with matzo ball soup all in one dish. The best part? It's easy to make with ingredients you likely have on hand.

Serving suggestion: Don't skip the Dijon mustard - it's essential for those authentic deli vibes!

Ingredients

• 400g french beans
• 400g mangetout (snow peas)
• 70g unskinned hazelnuts
• 1 orange (zest only)
• 20g chives, roughly chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp hazelnut oil (or another nut oil)
• Flaky sea salt and black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.
2. Prep Beans: Using a small, sharp knife, trim the stalk ends off the French beans and mangetout, keeping them separate.
3. Blanch French Beans: Bring plenty of unsalted water to boil in a large saucepan (lots of space is crucial for preserving color). Blanch French beans for 4 minutes. Drain into colander and run under plenty of cold tap water until cold. Leave to drain and dry.
4. Blanch Mangetout: Repeat with mangetout, but blanch for only 1 minute. Drain and cool.
5. Roast Hazelnuts: While beans cook, scatter hazelnuts on baking tray. Roast 10 minutes. Cool until you can handle them, then rub in clean tea-towel to remove most of the skin. Chop roughly with large, sharp knife - some can stay whole.
6. Prepare Orange Zest: Using vegetable peeler, remove zest from orange in strips, avoiding bitter white pith. Slice each strip into very thin julienne strips (or use citrus zester).
7. Assemble: Mix all ingredients together in bowl: beans, mangetout, hazelnuts, orange zest, chives, garlic, olive oil, hazelnut oil, salt, and pepper. Toss gently, taste, and adjust seasoning.
8. Serve: Serve at room temperature.

Pro Tips

• Make Ahead: Beans can be cooked and chilled a day in advance, then dressed before serving
• Preserve Color: Use plenty of unsalted water when blanching - crucial for keeping beans bright green
• Cool Quickly: Running beans under cold water immediately stops cooking and sets the color
• Hazelnut Texture: Keep hazelnuts quite rough when chopping - some can even stay whole for varied texture
• Zest Carefully: Avoid the white pith when zesting - it's bitter
• Substitutions: Sugar snap peas, green peas, and broad beans can substitute or be added to the salad
• Balance: Orange and hazelnut offer perfect balance of freshness and earthiness
• Room Temperature: Best served at room temp to allow flavors to shine

Recipe Notes

Source: Ottolenghi cookbook

Why it's special: This is such a classic Ottolenghi recipe that's been in their delis for many years. Green beans are so popular at Ottolenghi that they're constantly on the lookout for new combinations. This one with orange and hazelnut is wonderfully balanced - fresh and earthy flavors that complement the beans without overpowering them.

Serves: 6 people

Ingredients

For the Chicken Broth:

• 1 (4-5 lb) whole chicken or chicken legs
• 2 medium yellow onions, quartered
• 1 medium head garlic, halved horizontally
• 3 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 medium parsnips, chopped
• 4 medium carrots (2 for broth, 2 sliced for serving)
• 10 sprigs fresh parsley
• 1 Tbsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
• 3½ quarts (14 cups) cold water

For the Matzo Balls:

• 5 large eggs
• ¼ cup fresh dill, plus more for serving
• 1 cup matzo meal
• ¼ cup melted chicken schmaltz or butter
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• Black pepper
• ¼ cup seltzer/club soda (fluffy) OR broth (dense)
• ½ tsp baking powder (only for fluffy version)

Instructions

Make the Broth (2 hours):

1. Cut chicken into 8 pieces (or use whole legs). Place in 8-quart stockpot.
2. Add quartered onions, halved garlic head, chopped celery, parsnips, 2 chopped carrots, parsley, salt, and peppercorns.
3. Add 3½ quarts cold water. Bring to lively simmer over high heat, then reduce to low.
4. Simmer uncovered 1 hour. Meanwhile, slice remaining 2 carrots.
5. Remove breasts and thighs after 1 hour. Continue simmering broth 1 more hour.
6. When cool, shred meat and discard skin/bones.
7. Strain broth through colander, discard solids. Return broth to pot. Season to taste.

Make the Matzo Balls:

1. Whisk eggs in bowl. Add chopped dill.
2. Add matzo meal, melted schmaltz/butter, salt, and pepper.
3. For fluffy: Add seltzer and baking powder. For dense: Add broth, no baking powder.
4. Whisk to combine. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours (or overnight).

Cook and Assemble:

1. Bring large pot of heavily salted water to boil.
2. Scoop matzo mixture (1½ Tbsp portions) and roll into balls (oil or dampen hands if sticky).
3. Add to boiling water. Simmer 10 min until floating and cooked through.
4. Meanwhile, bring broth to simmer. Add sliced carrots and shredded chicken. Simmer 10 min.
5. Transfer matzo balls to soup with slotted spoon. Simmer 5 min.
6. Serve garnished with fresh dill and black pepper.

Pro Tips

• Make Ahead: Broth and matzo base can be made 1 day ahead and refrigerated
• Freeze: Cooked matzo balls can be frozen up to 3 months in single layer
• Schmaltz: Skim fat from refrigerated stock, or use store-bought, or substitute butter
• Fluffy vs Dense: Baking powder + seltzer = fluffy; broth + no baking powder = dense