SAMHAIN (OCT 31)
by Voice of The Mountain
A. HISTORY
Samhain to the Celts was their New Year's Eve.
That mysterious moment which belonged to neither past nor present, neither this world nor the other. It was a time when the herds were slaughtered and the meat salted, which also led to the use of salt in magic ritual as a disinfectant against psychic or spiritual evil. On this night also, the spirits of dead friends sought the warmth of the Samhain fire and communication with the living.
The divinatory aspect of Samhain is understandable for two easons. First, the psychic climate of the season favored it, and second, the anxiety about the coming winter demanded it. The fertility ritual aspect was reflected in legends of gods and heroes. And as such, was a time of deliberate (and tribally purposeful) sexual freedom. That is primarily a Celtic tradition, as many other superstitions say to refrain from sex for fear that your former (dead) friends would take over your body and you might have a Changechild.
So Samhain was on the one hand a time of propitiation, divination, and communication with the dead, and on the other, an uninhibited feast of eating, drinking, and the defiant affirmation of life and fertility in the very face of the closing dark." (WBC p.122)
"The feast itself, in the banquet sense, the original food was of course a proportion of the newly slaughtered cattle, roasted in the purifying Samhain fire, and doubtless having the nature of ritually offered 'first fruits'. The fact that the priesthood had first call on it for divinatory purposes, and that what they did not use provided a feast for the tribe, points to this." (WBC p. 126)
B. THE ALTAR AND CIRCLE 1. DECORATE WITH APPLES, POMEGRANATES, PUMPKINS (AS IS OR CUT INTO JACK-O-LANTERNS. IF USING JACK-O-LANTERNS, LET THEM MARK THE FOUR CORNERS), SQUASHES, MARIGOLDS, CHRYSANTHEMUMS. ALTAR CLOTH AND CANDLES SHOULD BE ORANGE, TO SYMBOLIZE THE HARVEST.
2. FOODS- BEETS, TURNIPS, APPLES, CORN, NUTS, GINGERBREAD, PUMPKIN DISHES, MEAT, PUMPKIN COOKIES, CANDY APPLES, POPCORN, AND CANDY CORN.
3. DRINKS- CIDER, MULLED WINE.
4. CAULDRON SHOULD BE IN THE NORTH QUARTER, FILLED WITH FIREWOOD.
C. RITUALS
1. THIS IS THE TIME OF REFLECTION, OF LOOKING BACK OVER THE PAST YEAR AND FRIENDS WHO HAVE PASSED ON. HONOR THEM, BUT DO NOT CALL THEM TO YOU. LEAVE A PLATE OF FOOD OUTSIDE THE HOME FOR THE SOULS OF THE DEAD. A CANDLE PLACED IN THE WINDOW GUIDES THEM TO THE AFTERLIFE, BURYING APPLES "FEEDS" THEM ON THEIR JOURNEY.
2. WRITE ON A PIECE OF PAPER AN ASPECT OF YOUR LIFE YOU WISH TO BE FREE OF:
ANGER, A BANEFUL HABIT, DISEASE,
MISPLACED FEELINGS. BURN IT IN RITUAL (Wicca For The Solitary Practitioner P.142)
3. PAST LIFE REGRESSIONS ARE SOMETIMES DONE IN CIRCLE.
4. SCRYING INTO THE PAST OR FUTURE IN CIRCLE.
5. RETURN THE CORN DOLLIES OF LAST YEAR TO THE GROUND. SEE IMBOLC.
6. BOBBING FOR APPLES, OR APPLE ON A STRING GAME.
7. HAVE PRIEST DRESS IN "MAN IN BLACK" COSTUME AND CHARCOAL HIS FACE. HE LEADS A DANCE WITHIN THE CIRCLE
8. DIVINATION USING TAROT IN CIRCLE
9. AT THE CLOSE OF SAMHAIN CIRCLE, RITUALLY EXTINGUISH THE ALTAR CANDLES TO SYMBOLIZE THE DARK HALF OF THE YEAR NOW BEGINNING.
D. SYMBOLISM
1. FAREWELL TO THE GOD. THE GOD DIES, AND PREPARES TO BE REBORN AT YULE.
2. TIME OF SACRIFICE WHEN ANIMALS WERE SLAUGHTERED TO ENSURE FOOD THROUGHOUT THE WINTER.
3. FEAST OF THE DEAD, WHEN THE VEIL BETWEEN WORLDS IS THIN.
SAMHAIN RECIPES:
Apple Raisin Nut Bread
Oven temperature: 375 degrees F
For 1 loaf you will need:
2 eggs
½ cup vegetable oil
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cuups sugar
1 ½ tsp. ground cinnamon 1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking powder
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup raisins
1 cup shredded fresh apples (2 medium apples)
1. Combine eggs, oil, flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, vanilla,salt and baking powder in large mixing bowl. Stir until well blended.
2. Stir in nuts, raisins and apples until a rather stiff batter isformed. Mix until all ingredients are thoroughly blended, but do not overmix. (Quick breads should be mixed until well blended, but not overmixed in order to prevent the formation of "tunnels" in the baked loaf.)
3. Pour into a greased 8 ½-by-4 ½ inch loaf pan.
4. Bake at 375 degrees F for 1 hr. or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
SPICY BOILED BACON - Serves 6
Soak 2 to 3 pound uncooked ham for several hours or overnight, or cover with cold water, bring to boil, discard water and cover meat with more water and return to boil., Skim and simmer 20 minutes per pound and then 20 minutes more.
Remove ham and reserve stock to boil cabbage in for Colcannon. If desired, skin ham, then cut lattice pattern in fat, coat with brown sugar and stud with whole cloves. Brown in Dutch oven. Keep warm over very low heat while you prepare Colcannon and Parsley Sauce.
COLCANNON - Serves 6
Cut small cabbage into quarters and remove core. Place in saucepan along with reserved ham stock. Cook, covered tightly, 20 minutes. Drain well but reserve stock to make Parsley Sauce. Chop Cabbage. Melt butter in a skillet. Add onion and saute until soft but not brown. Add milk and warm until heated through. Stir in mashed potatoes and cooked cabbage and beat until mixture is fluffy. Transfer mixture to large, wide serving bowl. If desired, follow old tradition and hide a ring, button, coin and thimble in Colcannon before serving. (Be sure to sterilize trinkets in boiling water first and warn guests about their presence!)
(These prizes were to "fortell the future": Ring for marriage, button for bachelor, thimble for "spinster", and coin for future wealth.)
PARSLEY SAUCE - 2-1/2 cups
¼ cup butter
3 Tbsp. flour
1-1/4 cups cabbage stock
1-1/4 cups milk
½ cup finely chopped parsley pepper
Melt butter in saucepan and stir in flour to make roux. Cook without browning over medium heat 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add cabbage stock and then milk. Bring to boil and stir few minutes. Add parsley and season to taste with pepper. Serve separately with Spicy Boiled Bacon and Concannon.
APPLE DUMPLINGS - 4 dumplings
2 cups flour
¼ tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. sugar 10 Tbsp. butter, softened
8 to 10 tablespoons ice cold water
Filling:
5 Tbsp. dark brown sugar, packed
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. finely grated lemon peel
3 Tbsp dried currants
¼ tsp. cinnamon
4 large, firm tart apples
3 Tbsp. granulated sugar
For pastry, combine flour, salt and sugar in bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Pour in half of ice water and mix until mixture forms into a ball. If dough is crumbly, add more water gradually until crumbs adhere. Do not let dough get sticky. Divide dough in half, dust with flour and wrap separately in waxed paper. Refrigerate 1 hour before rolling out. For filling, cream together butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Mix in lemon juice, peel, currants and cinnamon. Peel and core apples. Fill each with some currant mixture. Set aside. On lightly floured surface, roll out half the pastry about ¼ inch thick and cut into 2 8" squares. Repeat with remaining dough. Place each apple in center of a pastry square. Fold up sides and pinch closed. Place dumplings on gresed baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees F. in middle of oven for 20 minutes. Moisten dumplings with water and sprinkle lightly with granulated sugar and bake 10 minutes longer or until sugar is glazed and pastry is golden brown. Serve warm, plain or with spiced whipped cream or ice cream.
SOUL CAKES - Crispy oat wafers kept piled on plates by the door for hungry guests, both live and spirits. Each recipe makes 8 wedges. Make lots.
1-3/4 cups oatmeal (rolled oats)
¼ tsp. baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 Tbsp. melted butter
5 - 8 tsp. hot water
Pulverize 1 cup oatmeal at high speed in blender or food processor. Combine ground oatmeal, baking powder and salt in bowl and stir in melted butter. When butter is absorbed, add hot water, a tsp. at a time, stirring constantly, to make a smooth firm paste. Gather mixture into ball and place on board lightly covered with ¼ cup remaining oatmeal. Roll ball around until completely covered with flakes. Spread another ¼ cup oatmeal over board and, with rolling pin, roll ball into an 8" circle about ¼ inch thick. Cut into 8 wedges and carefully transfer to a baking pan that has been covered with remaining oatmeal. Bake at 350 degrees F. in middle of oven about 15 minutes. When wedges are light brown, turn off heat, open oven door and let Soul cakes remain in oven until they become firm and crisp. Butter, honey or jam are tasty toppings. I also often make spicy gingerbread "spirits" for "soul cakes." Very popular with the littler (and not so little) goblins.
DINNER IN A PUMPKIN Brown 2 lbs of ground beed with a large chopped onion. Drain. Add salt, pepper, and several shakes of italian seasoning. ADD:
¼ c. soy sauce
2 T brown sugar
4 oz can mushrooms
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 c. cooked rice
Cut off top and clean inside of a medium pumpkin. Place mixture inside and put lid back on. Bake on a greased cookie sheet at 375 for one hour or until tender.
TO SERVE: Spoon some pumpkin off the side along with the meat sauce.
REMEMBRANCE COOKIES By Tina Finneyfrock (Llewellyn's 1996 Magical Almanac) On All Hallow's Eve we can honor our ancestors by leaving offerings for them. Whether our relationships with or knowledge of departed relatives were uplifting or not, we are who we are partially because of them. Acknowledgement in our lives lets us feel comfortable in our own path in the world. It also allows us to consider how we want to live and be remembered. In my house, we make cookies on Hallow's Eve. They are shaped like people and we add the herb rosemary to the dough as a symbol of "remembrance". Some of the cookies are eaten while recalling stories or attributes of special ancestors, reminding us that we still have access to their strengths or perhaps a predisposition to their weaknesses. The rest of the cookies are left outside by the bonfire as an offering. This can be a solemn ritual, but it need not be. In any case, the cookies have always been gone in the morning. Any sugar cookie recipe will do, but our favorite one is following.
1 1/2c. powdered sugar
1 c. butter or margarine (softened)
1 egg
2 t. vanilla
1 t. almond extract
2 ½ c all purpose flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. cream of tartar
1 -2 T. chopped rosemary
Heat oven 375 degrees. In large bowl, beat sugar, butter, egg, vanilla, almond extract and rosemary until creamy. In a separate bowl sift flour, baking soda and cream of tartar. Fold flour mixture into sugar mixture. Beat until dough forms and refrigerate for 3 hours. Divide dough into halves. Roll out one portion to 3/16 of an inch on a floured surface. Cut out with gingerbread women/men cutters and place on a un greased baking sheet. Repeat rolling and cutting with second portion.
Bake for 5 -7 Minutes.
Samhain Ritual - October 26, 1996
HPS:
At this time and in this place
Do we call upon the Spirits of the Land.
As well as the Mighty Ones of the Skies, seas and fire.
We call upon the Goddesses of our distant past,
From lands near and far away.
We call upon the Gods of our spiritual brothers
Who once called this land their own.
HP:
As on the High Holidays did they Call to the Gods for that Which was needed
So also do we!
In this harsh season
Of these vast lands
Do we send out our calls
As did they
In chants of three!
HPS:
Spirits of the Four Winds
Our brothers of the elements
Hearken unto us now
We beseech thee to gather
In this place of Power
Our Mother Earth and Father Sun
To work with us in Unity.
HP:
Spirits of the Four Winds
Our brothers of the elements
Hearken unto us now
We beseech thee to gather
In this place of Power
Our Mother Earth and Father Sun
To work with us in Unity.
ALL:
Spirits of the Four Winds
Our brothers of the elements
Hearken unto us now
We beseech thee to gather
In this place of Power
Our Mother Earth and Father Sun
To work with us in Unity.
HPS:
As we celebrate Samhain, let us think of the year
past with its good and
bad; Learn from it and then release it. It is finished.
(here will be inserted readings of the past and future.
In Rune and Tarot)
HPS and HP:
Earth Mother, behold your children!
Sky Mother, recognize us, your devoted servants.
Father of Wisdom, speak to us, that We may hear your voice,
Keeper of the Gates of Knowledge, open wide that We may enter your realm.
Reveal to us the vision of your sight.
Runic Reading:
*****place in original to put rune reading info.
Tarot Reading:
*****space in original to put tarot reading info.
Cup of Memories:
(each attendees may either silently or aloud should
consider someone who has gone before who has affected their life and then should drink of the water.)
HPS:
In this water are the tears of Joy and Sorrow from the year past. Drink in the memory of those gone before(Share the memories with those around.)
(pass the cup to all present)
Pour the balance of the cup onto the earth.
*********Insert here burying of apples for the dead and corn dollies from last year.*******
Cakes and Ale followed by cup of sharing:
HP and HPS bless the cakes and ale. Then share them with the circle saying
May you never hunger.
May you never thirst.
(with the proper item).
HP:
Having remembered those who have gone before and learned from the past; let us move on into the future, the new year, with Joy.
*******Other ritual actions needed for the prosperity and health of the coven members. "ie(.this space for rent".***********
HPS:
The future has yet to be written, so pick up your pen and write.
The Elements and the Dieties are dismissed by the
HP & HPS.
HP&HPS:
The circle is open but unbroken, It remains in our hearts and spirits.
All:
The circle is open but unbroken, May the peace of the Goddess remain ever in your heart. Merry Meet and Merry Part and Merry Meet again.
****I pieced these various fall recipes together from list class I am on and thought some of them might interest you so I am passing them on..*****
DameWolf Title: Gloria Moss Old Fashioned Pumpkin Pie Categories: Desserts,
Pies Yield: 6 servings
1 Pastry for 9 in pie crust
1 c Dark brown sugar
1 TB All purpose flour
1 Ts Ground ginger
½ Ts Ground allspice
3 Eggs, beaten
1 ½ c Milk
Whipped cream, garnish
1 Beaten egg
1 pn Salt
2 Ts Cinnamon
½ Ts Ground cloves
½Ts Grated Nutmeg
14 oz Pumpkin; mashed & cooked
3 Ts Brandy or rum
Line a deep 9 inch pie plate with pastry. Flute edges and brush bottom of pastry with beaten egg. refrigerate. To prepare filling, combine sugar, salt, flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice and nutmeg. Stir in beaten eggs. Combine pumpkin (2 cups) and milk. Add to filling mixture. Chill well. Add brandy or rum to filling; pour into pie shell. Bake at 450 degrees F for 10 minutes, lower heat setting to 400 degrees F and bake for ½ hour.
Title: Argentinean Stew in a Pumpkin Shell Categories: Main dishes Yield: 6 servings
2 lb Beef stew meat, cut in 1 ½-in. cubes
1 lg Onion; chopped
2 Garlic cloves; minced
3 TB Oil
2 lg Tomatoes; chopped
1 lg Green bell pepper; chopped
Salt, pepper
1 Ts Sugar
1 c Dried apricots
3 White potatoes, peeled and diced
3 Sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
2 c Beef broth
1 md Pumpkin
Butter or margarine; melted
¼ c Dry sherry
1 lb Whole kernel corn, drained
Trim any excess fat from beef and cook with onion and garlic in oil until meat is browned. Add tomatoes, green pepper, 1 tablespoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, sugar, apricots, white potatoes, sweet potatoes and broth. Cover and simmer 1 hour. Meanwhile, cut top off pumpkin and discard. Scoop out seeds and stringy membrane. Brush inside of pumpkin with butter and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Stir sherry and corn into stew and spoon into pumpkin shell. Place shell in shallow pan and bake at 325F 1 hour, or until pumpkin meat is tender. Place pumpkin in large bowl and ladle out stew, scooping out some of pumpkin with each stew serving. © 1992 The Los Angeles Times.
Title: Mexicali Beef Stew in a Pumpkin Shell Categories: Main dishes. Yield: 8 servings.
2 ½ lb Stew Beef cut into 1-1 ½ in. pieces
2 lg Onions, chopped
4 Garlic Cloves, minced
27 ½ oz Single strength beef broth
1 c Picante sauce
Pumpkin shell tureen (q.v.)
2 md Zucchini, cut into ¼" slices
4 Ts Cornstarch
¼ c Water
2 sm Tomatoes, each cut into 8 wedges
2 ¼ oz Sliced ripe olives, drained
Brown beef for stew, onion and garlic (half at a time) in non-stick dutch oven over medium heat. Pour off drippings, if necessary. Add beef broth and picante sauce. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover tightly and cook slowly 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile prepare pumpkin shell tureen. Add zucchini to pan and continue cooking, covered, 10 minutes or until beef and zucchini are tender. Meanwhile combine cornstarch and water; stir into stew. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in tomatoes and olives. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Ladle stew into pumpkin shell tureen and serve. Serves 8.
Title: Peter's Cream of Pumpkin Soup Categories: Soups, Holidays, Low cal, Low fat Yield: 4 servings
1 Ts Safflower oil
1 lb Pumpkin, fresh cut in chunks, OR Canned Pumpkin
1 Yellow onion,peeled and chopped
1 sm Garlic clove, peeled and crushed
2 Celery stalks; chopped
1 Stalk fresh thyme; OR ½ Ts -Dried thyme
½ Bay leaf
5 c Chicken broth
1 ½ TB Low-fat white cheese, Such as cottage cheese, farmer's cheese, cream cheese or ricotta
1 TB Non-fat powdered milk
½ c Parsley, chervil and chives- (minced)
This Thanksgiving soup has but 65 calories per serving.
IN A LARGE SAUCEPAN, heat the oil over a low fire. Add the vegetables (including the fresh pumpkin, but not the canned), thyme and bay leaf. Reduce the heat, cover, and let cook gently for 8 minutes. Stir occasionally to keep the vegetables from browning. Add the broth and the pumpkin, if using canned; bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, for either 20 minutes (fresh pumpkin) or 10 minutes (canned pumpkin). Puree mixture in batches in a blender. Pour pureed soup through a fine strainer back into saucepan and return to boil. If it seems too thick, thin with a little hot broth or water. (Can be made to this point up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated, loosely covered.) Before serving, reheat soup to boiling. Pour back into the blender and add the cottage cheese and powdered milk. Blend 20 seconds. Taste for seasoning. Ladle the soup into 4 heated soup bowls; sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the minced fine herbs over each. Serve immediately.PETER KUMP - PRODIGY GUEST CHEFS COOKBOOK
Title: Pumpkin Casserole Categories: Casseroles, Vegetables, Side dishes. Yield: 6 servings
1 ½ lb Fresh pumpkin meat
1 lg Onion; finely chopped
½ Ts Salt; or as desired
¼ Ts Ground white pepper
2 TB Unsalted butter; melted
2 Eggs
¾ c Milk
¾ c Farmers cheese OR- hoop or ricotta cheese
Pumpkin dishes don't have to be sweet. This one is perfect with roast pork. Hollow out a small pumpkin to serve this in for a special presentation. PREHEAT OVEN TO 375F. Using a paring knife or vegetable peeler, peel and discard outer skin of the pumpkin. Slice the pumpkin into ¼-inch slices and place in a mixing bowl. Add the onion, salt, pepper and butter and toss well. Pour contents of the bowl into a 9-inch round or square greased baking dish, cover with foil and place in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, beat eggs, milk and cheese together until smooth. Remove the baking dish from the oven, remove the cover and pour the cheese mixture over the top. Replace in oven, uncovered, another 20 minutes. The gratin is done when it turns golden brown.MICHAEL ROBERTS - PRODIGY GUEST CHEFS COOKBOOK.
Title: Pumpkin with Chili Beans Categories: Vegetables, Side dishes, Main dishes, Low cal Yield: 4 servings
2 Butternut pumpkin (1kg)
¾ c Grated mozzarella (90g)
1 MD Onion (120g), finely chopped
2 Ts Water
2 md Red peppers (300g), finely chopped
1 md Stick celery (80g), finelychopped
425 g Can tomatoes
310 g Can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 TB Tomato sauce
2 Ts Worcestershire sauce
pn Chili powder
Cut pumpkin into 4 thick slices, remove seeds. Boil, steam or m/wave pumpkin slices until just tender. Place pumpkin slices on oven tray, divide topping evenly between slices, sprinkle with cheese. Bake in moderate oven for 10 mins (or m/wave on HIGH for about 2 mins). Topping: Combine onion and water in saucepan, stir constantly over heat until onion is soft, add peppers and celery, stir over heat 2 mins. Stir in undrained, crushed tomatoes, half the kidney beans, sauces and chili powder. Mash remaining beans, add to saucepan, bring mixture to the boil, reduce heat, simmer, uncovered, until mixture is thick. Approx. 900 kJ (215 cal) per serve *
Title: Moroccan-Style Vegetable Soup Categories: Soups, Moroccan, Vegetarian Yield: 8 servings
2 TB Safflower oil
2 lg Onions, chopped
2 md Potatoes, scrubbed and cut into ¾" chunks
2 c Raw pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled and cut into ¾" chunks
2 lg Carrots, coarsely chopped
1 can Plum tomatoes with liquid, chopped (14 oz)
2 Ts Ground cumin
¾ Ts Turmeric
2 c Chick peas, canned or well-cooked
Salt to taste
Fresh ground pepper to taste
1 c Whole grain couscous -(presteamed, cracked semolina)
Heat the oil in a large soup pot. Add the onions and saute' over moderate heat until golden. Add the potatoes, pumpkin or squash, carrots, tomatoes, and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then add the seasonings and simmer over low heat, covered, for approximately 45 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Add the chick peas and season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer over very low heat for another 15 minutes. In the meantime, place the couscous in an oven-proof bowl. Cover with two cups of boiling water, then cover the bowl and let stand for 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Place a small amount of the couscous in each soup bowl, then ladle the soup over it. Serve at once.
Title: Kadoo Bichak (Baked Pumpkin and Onion Dumplings) Categories: Vegetables, Sephardic, Uzbekistan Yield: 20 servings
DOUGH:
1 pk (7 grams)
20 g Fresh yeast
1 c Water, warm
4 c Flour
1 Ts Salt
1 Egg yolk, mixed WITH 1 TB Water, for egg glaze STUFFING:
2 lb Pumpkin or calabasa;*cut into ½-in cubes
1 lb Onions, chopped
½ Ts Red hot chili flakesdry yeast
*Pumpkin and onion make a popular combination in Bukharan cooking and using them together as a stuffing is imagination and traditional
1. In a small bowl or measuring cup, dissolve the yeast in ½ cup of the warm water.
2. In a large bowl, place the flour. Mix in the salt and the yeast mixture and gradually add the remaining ½ cup of water, or enough to prepare a soft dough. Knead the dough for 5 minutes, sprinkling with flour if necessary to ease handling. Return the dough to the bowl and cover with a kitchen towel. Let rise for 1 hour. Punch down the dough, which is now ready to prepare the dumplings.
3. In a pan, mix the pumpkin and onions together. Cover the pan cook over low for ½ hour or more to reduce the bulk and soften the vegetables. Considerable liquid may accumulate. Uncover the pan and cook for 10 minutes longer. Drain the mixture through a metal sieve to pour off all this liquid. Turn out into a bowl and stir in the chili flakes. Cool.
4. Roll out the dough into a long sausage shape about 3-inches in diameter. Pull off 1/3 cup of the dough, about 2 ounces and roll out into a pancake 4-inches in diameter and ¼-inch thick. Put 1 generous tablespoon of the stuffing in the center and fold over the top toward the center. Then fold over the left and right sides toward the center to form a closed triangle. Pinch the folds together to seal. Paint the top of each dumpling with the egg glaze and on a oil baking sheet. Bake in a preheated, 375 degree F. oven for 20 minutes to brown the tops. Serve warm. Makes about 20 dumplings. NOTE: The dumplings may be frozen in plastic bags after baking and cooling. To serve, allow them to thaw out at room temperature for 1 hour. Reheat in a preheated, 350 degree F. oven for 10 minutes.
Title: Oshee Toss Kadoo (Stuffed Pumpkin) Categories: Sephardic, Uzbekistan Yield: 6 servings
1 Pumpkin
½ c Raw rice, well rinsed
¼ lb Ground lamb
1 sm Onion, chopped
¼ Ts Ground cuminseed
1 Ts Salt
¼ Ts Pepper
¼ c Fresh coriander, fine chopped
¼ Ts Ground turmeric
2 Leaves cabbage or lettuce 1 c Water, mixed WITH 2 TB Onion, chopped It is as logical to stuff a pumpkin as a green pepper, eggplant, or grape leaf. Select a pumpkin weighs from 2 to 3 pounds, which is easy to handle. The pumpkins of Samarkand are huge, sometimes 20 to 30 inches in diameter. These would make an enormous impression but are not practical for stuffing. The oshee toss is prepared for special occasions or a family celebration and is very festive.
1. Cut out a disc 3-inches in diameter from the stem end of the pumpkin and save it. Scoop out and discard the seeds and loose string from the interior.
2. In a bowl, combine all of the remaining ingredients except for the leaves and the water/onion mixture. Stuff the pumpkin with the mixture and plug with the reserved disc.
3. On the bottom of a deep pan, place the leaves to protect the pumpkin from burning. Add the water/onion mixture and set the stuffed pumpkin inside the pan. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to very low. Cook slowly for 2 to 2-1/2 hours to make certain the pumpkin and stuffing are soft. Should the water evaporate too quickly, add another ¼ cup of water. Scoop out the stuffing and pulp and serve it warm. Makes 4 to 6 servings.
The below post was submitted to the Kitchen-Witch Study Group by Jeanette Upchurch
This seasonal article by Voice of The Mountain may be freely distributed provided that the following conditions are met:
(1) No fee is charged for its use and distribution and no commercial use is made of it;
(2) This files is not changed or edited in any way without the author's permission;
(3) This notice is not removed. An article may be distributed separately provided that this notice is repeated at the beginning of each. This version is current as of 10/31/98.