Sukkot is such a beautiful holiday: eating outdoors, decorating the sukkah and enjoying the flavors of fall with family and friends. The fasting is over, and the craziness of the New Year’s rush has passed. You can enjoy leisurely long holiday meals outside.
Even though the holiday falls a bit early this year, I still enjoy bringing autumn flavors into my menu. These recipes are beautiful crowd-pleasers, sure to further liven up your sukkah.
If Butternut Squash Challah sounds a bit bizarre, the flavor is quite similar to a pumpkin or sweet potato challah. The texture of this dough is smooth, slightly sweet and pairs perfectly with savory sage. It is equally tasty slathered in butter for breakfast or dipped in a hearty bowl of soup or stew for lunch or dinner.
The Jeweled Veggie Orzo is an easy side dish that screams autumn. Add any combination of colorful fall vegetables that you like.
The Paprika Roasted Chicken is so easy, and the recipe can be doubled for a crowd. If you don’t want to cut the potatoes into slices, simply double them.
Finally, the Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate Chips and Dried Cherries are a pleasing conclusion to a festive meal.
Butternut Squash and Sage Challah
Makes 2 large loaves
1⁄4 cup vegetable oil
5-6 fresh sage leaves
11⁄2 Tbs. dry yeast
1 tsp. plus 3⁄4 cup sugar, divided
11⁄4 cups lukewarm water
51⁄2 to 6 cups all-purpose unbleached flour (I prefer to use King Arthur)
1⁄2 Tbs. salt
1⁄2 cup butternut squash purée (fresh or frozen)
2 eggs
2 egg yolks plus 1 tsp. water
additional fresh sage leaves for garnish
coarse sea salt
Place vegetable oil and fresh sage leaves in a small saucepan over low-medium heat. Heat through until sage becomes fragrant, around 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to sit 25-30 minutes. Strain sage leaves but do not discard. Finely chop leaves and reserve.
In a small bowl, place yeast, sugar and lukewarm water. Allow to sit around 10 minutes, until it becomes foamy on top.
In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix together 11⁄2 cups flour, salt, butternut squash and 1 tsp. sugar. After the water-yeast mixture has become foamy, add to flour mixture along with oil and chopped sage leaves. Mix thoroughly.
Add another cup of flour and eggs and mix until smooth. Switch to the dough hook attachment if you are using a stand mixer.
Add an additional 3 cups of flour, 1 cup at a time, until dough is smooth and elastic. You can do this in a bowl with a wooden spoon, in a stand mixer with the dough attachment or, once the dough becomes pliable enough, on a floured work surface with the heels of your hands. Dough will be done when it bounces back to the touch, is smooth without clumps and is almost shiny.
Place dough in a greased bowl and cover with damp towel. Allow to rise at least around 3 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Braid challah into desired shape. Allow challah to rise another 45-60 minutes, or until it has grown and challah seems light. This step is very important to ensure a light and fluffy challah.
In a small bowl beat 2 egg yolks with 1 tsp. water.
Brush egg wash liberally over challah. Sprinkle with chopped fresh sage and thick sea salt.
If making one large challah, bake around 27-28 minutes; if making 2 smaller challahs, bake 24-26 minutes.
Paprika Roasted Chicken and Potatoes
Serves 4
4-5 medium Yukon gold potatoes
salt and pepper
olive oil for drizzling
4 chicken thighs and/or drumsticks
2 Tbs. smoky paprika
1⁄2 Tbs. hot paprika
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. fresh lemon zest
1⁄4 cup olive oil
4 garlic cloves
salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice potatoes into 1⁄2-inch slices. Grease the bottom of a Pyrex dish. Lay potatoes on bottom of pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil.
Whisk together spices, lemon juice, zest and olive oil. Spread all over the chicken, including underneath the skin. Allow to marinate for 30 minutes if you have time, though not necessary.
Place chicken and whole garlic cloves on top of potatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper as needed.
Roast for 50-55 minutes, or until juices run clear and a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees. Remove chicken and set aside. If you want your potatoes crisper, you can place them back in the oven for another 10-15 minutes or until desired doneness.
Jeweled Veggie Orzo with Wheatberries
Serves 6-8
1⁄2 medium butternut squash
2 purple carrots or 1 large beet
olive oil for drizzling
salt and pepper
1 cup dry orzo pasta
1⁄2 cup wheatberries
1⁄4 cup cooked peas (fresh or frozen)
1⁄4 cup dried cranberries
1⁄4 cup homemade or store-bought pepitas (you can also use slivered almonds or sunflower seeds)
olive oil
salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Peel butternut squash and carrots. Dice each into 1⁄2-inch cubes. Place butternut squash and carrots, separately, on a baking sheet, drizzle lightly with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 15-20 minutes, tossing once, until caramelized.
Note: If replacing the carrots with beet, wash the beet gently and place in tin foil. Roast in oven at 400 degrees for around 45 minutes or until soft. Allow to cool and remove skin. Once beet has cooled, dice into 1⁄2-inch cubes.
While vegetables are roasting, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook orzo around 11 minutes and drain. Drizzle with olive oil and place in a large bowl.
Cook wheatberries according to directions on package. (For 1⁄2 cup wheatberries, you will need around 1 cup of water. Bring water to a boil and then simmer covered for around 15 minutes.)
In the large bowl with orzo, add cooked butternut squash, carrots (or beet), wheatberries, peas, cranberries, pepitas and another Tbs. olive oil. Mix thoroughly. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve at room temperature or warm.
Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate Chips and Dried Cherries
Makes about 31⁄2 dozen small cookies
13⁄4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
3⁄4 cup flour
3⁄4 tsp. cinnamon
1⁄2 tsp. baking soda
1⁄2 tsp. salt
11⁄4 sticks unsalted butter or margarine, softened
1⁄3 cup packed light brown sugar
1⁄3 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1⁄2 tsp. vanilla
1⁄2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1⁄2 cup dried cherries
1⁄2 Tbs. sparkling sugar (large crystal sugar, optional)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Combine oats, flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, beat butter or margarine with sugars with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips and cherries (or other add-ins). Don’t overmix.
Using a cookie scoop or spoon, drop cookies 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Lightly flatten cookies with moistened fingers. Sprinkle a pinch of sparkling sugar on top of each cookie.
Bake for 10 minutes or until golden. Let cool for 2 or 3 minutes on baking sheet and then transfer to cooling racks.
Shannon Sarna is the editor of the Nosher, a 70 Faces Media company.