Montreal-based pastry chef Marcy Goldman is perhaps best known as the creator of Magnificent Caramel Matzoh Crunch—dubbed “matzah crack” for its addictive properties. Each year on Passover, Jewish bakers around the world concoct their own variations of her original sweet, with toppings that range from chocolate to sprinkles to marshmallows—and beyond. Goldman, an influential food writer and administrator of the site betterbaking.com, created the recipe in the 1980s, later featuring it in her 1998 classic, A Treasury of Jewish Holiday Baking. Only slightly less ubiquitous is Goldman’s Majestic and Moist Honey Cake, a Rosh Hashanah staple for countless home cooks that likewise first appeared in the 1998 cookbook.

Goldman is nothing if not prolific. Her latest recipe collection—The Newish Jewish Cookbook—is her 12th. At first glance, the book’s lack of photographs to guide eager at-home chefs does not inspire confidence. But stick with this book, because the recipes themselves are standouts, evincing two different culinary mindsets: On the one hand, the bulk of Goldman’s dishes are unabashedly vintage Ashkenazi recipes that have fallen out of fashion in recent years but maybe shouldn’t have; and on the other hand, Goldman presents ethnic and/or Israeli fusion flavors that have come to define modern, elegant kosher cuisine.

But I found myself fascinated with Goldman’s throwbacks. Not many contemporary kosher cookbooks explore kugels, for instance, but Newish Jewish does.

“Certain foods taste like memory—or ‘home’ or ‘grandma’ or comfort,” Goldman tells me. “There’s some real appeal there, while some recipes—whether you make them or not—are included in this sort of cookbook because they are a nod to legacy food or heritage or a certain time in Jewish culture.”

Another draw for me is Goldman’s affection for brunch and hosting, passions we share. Montreal Cheese Bagels, Nova Bagel Schmear and Coffee Cake Muffins are just a few of the recipes from the “Brunch and Breakfast” chapter deserving of attention.

Apart from Israeli flavors, Goldman’s nod to modern palates includes vegetarian-friendly Passover offerings as well as Sephardic delicacies like spiced chicken cholent and meatballs and Persian Rice With Potato Tahdig.

Devotees of Goldman may be surprised to learn that she did not grow up in a strongly identified Jewish home, although she does have fond memories of Shabbat meals celebrated at an aunt’s house. As an adult, teaching herself how to prepare Jewish foods helped bring her closer to Judaism and cultivate a deeply Jewish cultural identity. Goldman shares with me that her famous honey cake became her “aha” moment—when she knew she had achieved a rich and satisfying Jewish identity. The cake’s chain-reaction success is especially gratifying, she confesses.

Looking ahead at Jewish holidays for 2019, Goldman anticipates that her New Way Latkes will be the Hanukkah equivalent of the “matzah crack” and honey cakes she remains known for. These latkes are a lighter, less mess-inducing version.

“The Sweet and Sour Quinoa Meatballs are also a game changer,” she adds, “and the Sriracha Brisket, too. As trendy as Sriracha and Korean food might be, I still see the vibrant taste of that particular recipe as a ‘here to stay’ recipe.”

Also here to stay, perhaps, are some of Goldman’s updated classics from Newish Jewish, including potato knishes two ways—traditional deli style and rosemary asiago; Vintage Bar Mitzvah Chicken; and Israeli Chopped Layer Salad.

Rosemary Asiago Potato Knishes
Makes 24-35 small to medium knishes

Some classics take especially well to innovation, and this is one such. These knishes are a great snack or side (for a non-meat meal) and the touches of rosemary and asiago upgrade the onion-deli approach. Feel free to substitute whatever cheese you prefer. The small chunk of cheese nestles inside, and once found, give a treat of molten cheese and potato filling encased with the traditional stretch deli dough. 

STRETCH KNISH DOUGH
3/4 cup warm water
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 eggs
1 1/8 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/3 cup oil
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder

FOR MASHED POTATO ASIAGO FILLING
4 to 6 cups mashed potatoes*
1 medium onion, finely minced
3 tablespoons oil
1 to 2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Milk or vegetable broth, as required
24 to 36, 1-inch chunks Asiago cheese

EGG WASH
2 eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil

*For the mashed potatoes, you will need about 2 pounds peeled potatoes to end up with 4-6 cups mashed potatoes.

Peel the potatoes, place in a pot covered with water and bring to the boil. Simmer until fork tender.

In a large bowl, mash the potatoes as per your regular method, seasoning with rosemary, salt, pepper, adding milk or chicken or vegetable broth to have the right consistency (these are soft mashed potatoes that spread easily as a filling.)

When potatoes are boiling, start the caramelized onions. In a non-stick fry pan, heat the oil slightly and start slowly cooking the onions until they turn golden brown but do not crisp or dry out, about 20 minutes. Stir the caramelized onions into the mashed potatoes.

For the dough, using a food processor blend the water, lemon juice, eggs, salt, sugar and oil and pulse to combine. Add flour and baking powder and process until a smooth mass forms. Add more flour as required. The dough should be smooth, elastic and slack. Remove from work bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and let rest one hour before using. Otherwise, place in a Ziploc bag, refrigerate until required (1 to 2 days) and allow to warm to room temperature before stretching.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Divide dough in two. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out each section to a 12-by-12-inch rectangle. Spread on half the mashed potatoes and press a chunk of cheese into the potatoes. Roll up into a log. Using a sharp knife or dough cutter, cut in 24-36 sections, depending on size you want. Turn cut side down and press slightly down, gather top cut edge inwards to form a flower-like opening or slight closure (almost like a semi-closed rose). For the egg wash, in a small bowl, whisk the eggs and oil together.

Stack two baking sheets together and line the top one with parchment paper. Place the knishes on the baking sheet. Brush the knishes all over with egg wash. Bake until golden brown, about 30-40 minutes.

These freeze well unbaked or baked. If baking frozen, just pop them in the preheated oven; you might need a few more minutes baking time.

Deli Style Potato Knishes
Makes 24 to 35 small to medium knishes

To me nothing beats a simple stretch dough as the easiest dough to work with and one that results in homey-tasting knishes that are good hot or cold. Huge ones are reminiscent of New York street vendor knishes, but small ones are more tender and crisp.

STRETCH KNISH DOUGH
3/4 cup warm water
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 eggs
1 1/8 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder

MASHED POTATO FILLING
4 to 6 cups mashed potatoes (about 2 pounds of potatoes)
1 large onion, very finely minced
3 tablespoons oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

EGG WASH
2 eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Peel the potatoes, place in a pot covered with water and bring to the boil. Simmer until fork tender. In a large bowl, mash the potatoes as per your regular method, seasoning with salt, pepper and adding milk (for a dairy meal) or chicken or warm vegetable broth (for a meat meal) to have the right consistency (these are soft mashed potatoes that spread easily as a filling.)

When potatoes are boiling, start the caramelized onions. In a non-stick fry pan, heat the oil slightly and start slowly cooking the onions until they turn golden brown but do not crisp or dry out, about 20 minutes.

For the dough, using a food processor or in a mixer bowl, blend the water, lemon juice, eggs, salt, sugar, and oil and pulse to combine. Add flour and baking powder and process until a smooth mass forms. Add more flour as required. Dough should be smooth, elastic and slack. Remove from work bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and let rest one hour before using. Otherwise, place in a Ziploc bag, refrigerate until required (1 to 2 days) and allow to warm to room temperature before stretching.

If making this in a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment and add the water, lemon juice, eggs, salt and sugar to blend. Add flour and mix until mixture is a mass. Mix on slow speed, until dough is smooth and elastic, adding in only as much additional flour as required to make a soft dough. Cover and let rest 15 to 30 minutes (you can also wrap the dough and place in a lightly oiled Ziploc bag and refrigerate up to 2 days).

Preheat oven to 350°.

Divide dough in two. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out each section to a 12-by-12-inch rectangle. Spread on half the mashed potatoes and roll up into a log. Using a sharp knife or dough cutter, cut each half into approximately 15  sections. Turn cut side down and press slightly down, gather top cut edge inwards to form a flower-like opening or slight closure (almost like a semi-closed rose).

For the egg wash, in a small bowl, whisk the eggs and oil together.

Stack two baking sheets together and line the top one with parchment paper. Place the knishes on the baking sheet. Brush the knishes all over with egg wash. If you need more, whisk more eggs and oil together. Bake until golden brown, about 25-35 minutes.

Vintage Style Bar Mitzvah Chicken
Serves 5 to 6

Vintage style roast chicken, aka Grandma-style chicken, always has an extra-homey flavor, the result of the generous use of the Jewish triumvirate spice combo of onion powder, garlic powder and paprika. Add some onions, mushrooms, rosemary and a bit of wine and you have a taste of the 1950s with a new millennium upgrade. Totally retro but delicious.

1  4-5 pound chicken, cut up
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 cup sliced onions
1 1/2 cups baby carrots
6 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 cup water or chicken broth
1/4 cup white wine
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons paprika
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon rosemary
2 tablespoons finely minced parsley

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. In a 4 to 5 quart roasting dish, place the chicken and cover with the mushrooms, onions and garlic.
3. Pour water and wine around sides. Add carrots around the sides.
4. Drizzle oil on chicken pieces and then dust with salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, thyme, rosemary and parsley.
5. Bake until tender, 50 to 60 minutes, lightly covered. Uncover, then continue cooking additional 20 to 30 minutes, basting often and adding more broth or water if needed to make enough pan roasting gravy so chicken doesn’t dry out.

Israeli Chopped Layered Salad
Serves 4 to 6

This is lovely to look at, crowd-pleasing and convenient, as it is can be made up to three days ahead. Marinated, jarred roasted red peppers* speed up the preparation. The trick with this is finely chopped everything so the final result is a pretty, marinated salad you do not have to toss to serve.

5 hardboiled eggs, finely chopped
6 cups chopped mix of green lettuces (such as romaine and iceberg)
1/2 cup sliced radicchio, finely chopped
1 head, Belgian endive, thinly sliced
1 medium cucumber, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 cup shredded carrots
2 medium red peppers, finely chopped*
4 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
1 small red onion, finely chopped
2 scallions, finely chopped
3/4 cup black pitted olives, chopped
1 1/2 cups canned beets, finely chopped

HERB VINAIGRETTE
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoons minced parsley
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 cup light olive oil
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Prepare the hardboiled eggs. Peel and finely chop and set aside. Prepare other vegetables in order given.

In a large serving dish, layer ingredients in order given. Using a plate on top of fully layered salad, lightly press down.

For the Herb Vinaigrette, add all ingredients except the olive and vegetable oils to a food processor. Blend one minute. With machine on, slowly drizzle in the oils until mixture thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. Drizzle vinaigrette over the salad and cover with a plate. Refrigerate 2 hours or overnight.