Lola Kambola Sephardic Shell Soup

Growing up if I became sick, my mother would drop me off at my grandparents house on her way to work.  I can remember arriving at their home still in my jammies, feverish and congested.  My grandmother would greet me at the door wearing her faded flower duster, house slippers, and hand me a wadded up kleenex straight from her busom.   She'd ask how I was feeling and have a cozy spot on her "davenport" complete with a wool blanket and reruns of the Love Boat airing on the console television ready for me.   By the time my grandmothers favorite shows were over and I slept the morning away,  the entire house was filled with the smell of hot pasta noodles, and the savory chicken, tomato broth.  As sick as I could ever be, the best medicine for getting better was spending the day at my grandma and "Papu's" house and enjoying her home made soup.  This soup can be started in the morning or even the night before with everything assembled and cooked close to serving time. 

Shell Soup

1 box 16 oz  shell shaped pasta
1 small can tomato paste
4 chicken thighs
2-3 carrots
salt
water
lemon juice

Bring pot of water to boil ( adding a pinch of salt and olive oil if desired) Once water comes to a boil add box of pasta, follow package instructions drain and set aside.
Throw chicken thighs in another pot of water bring to boil, turn down and cover until cooked through. Remove chicken thighs from water ( do not throw away water it was boiled in)  put water in plastic container, cover put in fridge. Take chicken off the bone and discard bones.  Chop up chicken ( or keep in small shreds, your choice)  Put into covered container and put into fridge. 
Put 1/2 can of tomato paste into a pot and fill with three cups water, stir until paste completely dissolves. Grab chicken broth from fridge, if cold remove fat layer from the top of the broth and discard.  If not fully cold, put a paper towel(s) down in a mixing bowl and carefully pour broth over paper towels into bowl.  The paper towels will act as a strainer to ensure that the fat is removed from the broth prior to adding it to the soup mixture.  Remove paper towels carefully so as not to get fat back into the broth.  Add strained broth mixture into the tomato and water mixture and put on stove on low heat.  ( soup should fill 1/2 pan, if not, feel free to add a little more water or canned chicken broth)  add chicken, cooked shell pasta and 2-3 peeled and sliced carrots.  Add salt and lemon juice to taste.  Heat to boiling, reduce heat to low until ready to serve. 

Note:  I have added garlic, onions and more spices in the past, however my grandma said that this is supposed to be a bland soup.  This soup was made to break the fast during Yom Kippur as well as a get better soup when we weren't feeling well.

Cheese pinwheels aka Cheese boyus

First off,  I'm always confused as to what constitutes a "boyu" and whats a "boreka"  for the purpose of my blog I'll call them what I've been raised calling them and also explain what they are.  Eg:  Cheese boyus aka Cheese Pinwheels.









These great pinwheels will come out crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.  Great to eat with cheese ( I recommend Kasseri) and fresh grapes or as an accompaniment to my Sephardic Families "Shell Soup"

Recipe

4c white flour
salt ( a couple of pinches)
1c. ice water
3/4 c oil ( I like safflower oil)
Parmesan or Romano cheese ( the kind in the green containers that you sprinkle over pizza and salad, I like Kraft the best because the cheese doesn't turn dark when you cook it)
1 egg, beaten


1. Combine 4 cups of flour into large bowl add salt.  With clean hands, stir flour around a little to mix salt into flour.
2. measure one cup cold, cold water ( I use ice water)
3. Add 3/4c. oil to the cold water.  Stir until the water/oil mixture looks milky
4. Pour water/oil mixture into flour mixture.
5.  Using clean hands, gently stir the mixture then begin to gently combine squeezing and twisting mixture with your hands.  Do not over knead.
6. Divide dough into four balls
7.  Take one of the balls and put onto a lightly floured cutting board.  Roll out dough, flipping it over once or twice until its rectangular-ish in shape.
8. Using a pasty brush ( or I use a paintbrush that I purchased from the dollar store) brush beaten egg onto the rolled out dough.  Give it a light coating and make sure its completely coated.
9.  Sprinkle a thin layer of grated cheese on top of the beaten egg.  Press into dough lightly
10. roll dough lengthwise starting from area closest to you outward keep roll tight. 
11.  Once rolled all the way begin to make 1/4 to 1/2 in vertical slices. 
12.  Flatten each piece out with the palm of your hand, flattening out each circle. 
13.  Use pastry brush to brush an additional layer of egg on top of the pinwheel. 
14.  Put some grated cheese into a small bowl and dip each pinwheel face first into the cheese to completely coat the top of the pinwheel.
15. place on cookie sheet lined with wax paper. 
16. Bake in 325 degree oven until the tops start to turn golden.  ( approx 10-15minutes) put in longer for extra crispy pinwheels. 

Makes approx 42 pinwheels.