Tunisian Italian Bread with Olive Oil and Nigella Seeds (Pain Italien)
Breads Appetizer Basics Tunisian cuisine Jewish cuisine Freezable Make-ahead Batch cooking

Tunisian Italian Bread with Olive Oil and Nigella Seeds (Pain Italien)

This Italian-style bread, made with olive oil and sprinkled with nigella seeds, is the one traditionally used for the Tunisian sandwich, filled just like the famous Tunisian fricassé. It is also perfect alongside slow-cooked dishes such as Psal or Loubia (meat stew with onions and beans) or mloukhia, jute-leaf stew with meat and merguez.

Mloukhia - Tunisian Beef and Merguez Stew with Jute Leaf Powder
Tunisian cuisine Jewish cuisine Libyan cuisine Egyptian cuisine Meat Stew Beef Merguez Make-ahead Batch cooking Freezable

Mloukhia - Tunisian Beef and Merguez Stew with Jute Leaf Powder

Nicknamed the dish that never ends, mloukhia (or mloukhiya) is a classic of Tunisian cooking made from ground jute leaves (corète) and cooked with beef and merguez. Here we make it every year as soon as the weather turns cooler, so I’m sharing my family recipe. Don’t judge it by its looks: it’s a wonderful dish that you’ll love mopping up with a good Italian-style bread.

Hummus with Tahini - Classic Israeli Recipe
Appetizer Kemias Salads Vegetarian Gluten-free Vegan Israeli cuisine Basics Chickpeas Make-ahead Batch cooking

Hummus with Tahini - Classic Israeli Recipe

Hummus - chickpea purée - is one of Israel’s national dishes. You’ll find dozens of kinds in restaurants (some of them - called hummusiyas - serve nothing else!) but it’s so quick to make that I encourage you to try it. Here is a classic version of hummus with tahini, the way we eat it around here. Kosher and parve, naturally.

Gua Bao (Chinese Steamed Buns) - Basic Recipe
Breads Appetizer Buffet Street food Finger food Chinese cuisine Asian cuisine Taiwanese cuisine Freezable Festive Lunch box Basics Egg-free Vegetarian Vegan Make-ahead Batch cooking

Gua Bao (Chinese Steamed Buns) - Basic Recipe

These steamed buns are unbelievably soft and fluffy. Here’s a detailed, step-by-step recipe for making them at home. You can fill them with anything: meat, fish, mushrooms…! This recipe is kosher and parve.

Gua Bao - Chinese Steamed Buns with Shredded Goose
Appetizer Buffet Chinese cuisine Asian cuisine Taiwanese cuisine Goose Duck Chicken Freezable Beef Lunch box

Gua Bao - Chinese Steamed Buns with Shredded Goose

These little steamed buns have a brioche-like texture that’s airy and melting at the same time. Use them as a base and fill them with whatever you like; the key is to vary the textures and flavors a bit and to add some freshness with herbs or raw vegetables. Here I’m sharing an easy version filled with braised goose legs, fresh cilantro and peanuts.

Gnaouia - Tunisian Okra and Beef Stew
Tunisian cuisine Jewish cuisine Okra Meat Stew Beef Chicken Make-ahead Freezable Light Festive Couscous Shabbat Batch cooking

Gnaouia - Tunisian Okra and Beef Stew

Gnaouia (also spelled gnaouiya, ganaouia or gnawia) is a Tunisian Jewish specialty that never goes out of style. The star ingredient of this delicious dish is okra, cooked with beef or chicken. A must at holiday meals and especially on Shabbat, okra may be little known in European cooking, but it is a staple across Africa and the Middle East.

Tunisian Fricassé - Fried Sandwich Rolls with Tuna, Egg and Harissa
Breads Appetizer Buffet Kemias Tunisian cuisine Freezable Make-ahead Jewish cuisine Tuna Lunch box Yitro

Tunisian Fricassé - Fried Sandwich Rolls with Tuna, Egg and Harissa

Here is a must of Tunisian cooking: fricassés. They are sandwiches made with fried bread, like savory doughnuts, filled with tuna, hard-boiled eggs, olives, and cooked and fresh salads. Sounds heavy? Give them a try, they are always a hit, especially in mini size for your buffets and cocktail parties!

Cheese Puff Pastry Turnovers (Friands au Fromage)
Appetizer French cuisine Kids Quiches & savory tarts Cheese Batch cooking

Cheese Puff Pastry Turnovers (Friands au Fromage)

Cheese friands sometimes bring back school cafeteria memories, where they were a fairly classic starter, and often more successful than the rest of the meal, to be honest. And there’s nothing complicated about them: a few good-quality basic ingredients and you’re ready to play with this recipe that everyone always loves. Here is a classic version of the cheese friand.