Gluten-free Passover recipes

I received these from Karen Beleck - you can get on her listserv by emailing her at oatmatza@gmail.com

Remember that potato starch recipes, common at Pesach, are gluten free, and the chocolate cake recipe here is a compilation of several that were sent in. I am also including some references for those of you who are new to this diet.

Have a wonderful, healthy holiday, and a terrific year! And please continue to share the information with others who need the matza to celebrate Passover. Thanks for being an Ambassador for health.

The recipes and extra's in this letter are in order of the following:
- Gluten-Free Matza Balls
- Hope Levy Kotts' Spinach Kugel
- Flourless Chocolate Cake (2 Different Recipes)
- Macademia Torte
- Chocolate Dipped Macaroons
- Poached Pears
- Gluten-Free Recipe References

Sincerely,

Karen Beleck
Your Oat Matza Lady



Gluten-Free Matza Balls:

Ingredients:
2 Eggs
2 Tablespoons Canola Oil
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
2 Tablespoons Club Soda
1/2 Cup Gluten-Free Oat Matza Meal

Directions:
Beat eggs with a whisk until lemon colored. Add oil, salt, and club soda. Beat well. Mix in Matza Meal (do not over mix). Let stand at room temperature for a few minutes (some people put in the freezer for a few minutes, some people put in the refrigerator for a few minutes. This person found that leaving the mix stand at room temperature worked best. You can experiment for yourself and see what works best for you).
Roll dough into small 1/2 inch balls.
Fill pot halfway with water, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and drop balls into the water. Cover and let simmer for 45 to 60 minutes. Matza Balls are finished when they are white and fluffy in the center. If yellow, cook 10 minutes more. (Some people freeze matza balls until time to heat).
Heat soup or broth. Add cooked Matza Balls.

Enjoy!!



Hope Levy Kott's Spinach Kugel (Dairy):

Ingredients:
2 16oz. Bags Chopped Spinach, defrosted with all the excess water squeezed out
1 lb. Ricotta Cheese
4 Eggs, beaten
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Nutmeg
Ground Pepper to Taste
Juice of 1 Lemon
1/2 Cup EACH of Parmesan Cheese and Ground Almond Meal, mixed together
Oil, for the pan
Paprika

Directions:
Preheat Oven to 375 F, grease 9x13 baking pan.
Mix all ingredients together, EXCEPT paprika and 1/4 cup of parmesan/nut meal mix.
Spread spinach in baking dish. Sprinkle remaining cheese/nut mix over the top.
Sprinkle with Paprika.
Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove foil and bake 10 to 15 minutes MORE until top begins to brown.
Can be served Hot or Cold.



Flourless Chocolate Cake - 1:

Ingredients:
4 oz. Gluten-Free Bitersweet Chocolate
1/2 Cup Gluten-Free butter or margarine
3/4 Cup Sugar
3 Eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa

Directions:
Grease a 7 or 8 inch Spring Form Pan or Round Pan. Line bottom with a circle of wax or parchment paper and grease the paper.
Break enough chocolate into pieces and put with butter/margarine into a microwave safe bowl that will be big enough to eventually hold all the ingredients.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap and microwave until chocolate and butter are melted, being careful not to melt them. (Depending on the strength of the microwave, it could take anywhere from 1.5 to 4 minutes).
Remove from microwave. Stir until chocolate and butter are well mixed. Add sugar and mix well. Add eggs and keep mixing well. Sift cocoa onto mix and stir until just mixed.
Put batter into greased pan. Bake at 375 F for 25 minutes or until top has formed a thin crust. Cool cake for 5 minutes then invert onto a plate.

Topping Suggestion:
Sift unsweetened cocoa or sweet ground chocolate onto cake, then sprinkle with cinnamon.



Flourless Chocolate Cake - 2:

Ingredients:
4 oz. Fine-Quality Bitersweet Chocolate (not unsweetened)
1 Stick (1/2 cup) Butter/Margarine
3/4 Cup Sugar
3 Large Eggs
1/2 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

Directions:
Preheat over to 375 F and grease an 8 inch round baking pan. Line bottown with a round piece of waxing paper and grease the paper.
Chope chocolate into small pieces. In a double boiler, melt chocolate with butter over barely simmering water until smooth. Remove top of double boiler and whisk in sugar. Add eggs and whisk well. Sift 1/2 cup cocoa powder over chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined.
Pour batter into pan and bake in middle of oven for 25 minutes, or until top has formed a thin crust.
Cool in cake pan on rack for 5 minutes. When cooled, invert onto a serving plate.

Cake keeps, after being cooled completely, in an airtight container for 1 week.



Macademia Torte:

Ingredients:
5 oz. Unsalted Macademia Nuts
8 oz. Bitersweet Parve Chocolate Bars
2 Tablespoons instant coffee, dissolved in 1/3 cup water
4 Eggs, seperated
12 Tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) parve margarine, cut in pieces and softened
1/2 Cup Potato Starch
1/2 Cup Sugar, divided
Pinch of Salt
6 oz. Bitersweet Parve Chocolate Bar (for the glaze)
2 Tablespoons Instant Coffee, dissolved in 1/3 cup water (for the glaze)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9 inch round cake pan, cover botton with a circle of wax paper that is cut to fit. Grease the paper.
Toast macademia nuts on a baking sheet in oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until golden brown, DO NOT LET BURN. Cool. Raise oven temperature to 375.
Melt chocolate and coffee in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in egg yolks, one at a time. Return pan to medium heat and stir gently until mixture is slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in margarine, mixing until blended.
Using a blender or food processor, grind nuts until fine but NOT oily. Add potato starch and 1/4 cup sugar to nuts. Add to chocolate mixture. Beat egg whites and salt until soft peaks form.
Add remaining sugar, a little at a time, still beating until soft peaks form. Fold whites into chocolate mixture.
Pour into cake pan. Bake 24 minutes, until cake is puffed and knife inserted in center comes out with slightly creamy coating. Cool on rack 45 minutes before removing from pan. Cake may sink and surface crack.
Meanwhile, melt chocolate and coffee for topping in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth. Cool slightly. When cake is cool, invert onto a serving dish. Remove paper and spreak glaze over top and sides. Refrigerate (preferrably overnight), or freeze. Remove from refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving.



Chocolate Dipped Macaroons:

Ingredients:
1/4 Cup Matza Meal
1 Cup Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
4 Large Egg Whites
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
4 Cups Unsweetened, Shredded Coconut

Directions:
Preheat over to 350 F. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. Sift together matza meal, sugar, and salt. Whip egg whites until stiff peaks form, then fold in the matza meal mixture. Fold in vanilla extract and coconut. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheet.
Bake 15 to 20 minutes, until golden. Let cool on wire rack.
These freeze very well.

Chocolate Dipping:
Melt chocolate in microwave for 1 minutes (time may vary according to microwave strength). Stir well to see how much more melting time is needed. (You can also melt the chocolate in a double-boiler until smooth). Dip macaroons into chocolate to coat top half or one side. Put onto wax paper covered plate or cookie sheet and harden in the refrigerator.



Poached Pears:

Ingredients:
2/3 Cup Dry Red Wine
2/3 Cup Water
3/4 Cup Sugar
1 Strip Lemon Rind (more can be used)
1 Cinnamon Stick
4 Ripe Bartless Pears (just cook longer if not ripe)
Slivered Almonds for Garnish (optional)

Directions:
Cook wine, water, sugar, lemon rind, and cinnamon stick over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Boil for 3 minutes.
Peel pears, leaving stems ON.
Plave pears in liquid and poach (covered) until soft - at least 30 minutes. Turn pears gently during poaching time.
Remove pears from liquid, continuing to have the liquid boil until thick and syrupy. Pour syrup over pears.
Serve warm, cold, or at room temperature.
Garnish with slightly toasted almond slivers if desired.



Gluten-Free Recipe References:

**Many people sent in "Recipe References," recipes that they have tried that can be found in different cookbooks. Here are some of those Recipe names and the cookbooks they come from.**

1. Unbelievable Brownies from Passover by Design

2. Flourless Chocolate Torte from Kosher by Design

3. Flourless Cakes from Tyler Florence on www.foodnetwork.com

4. Flourless Cakes from Scott Adams on www.celiac.com

5. Some people suggest just trading out regular Matza Meal and using the Oat Matza Meal.