This is an eight-day festival with many dietary restrictions during which Jews may not eat barley, wheat, spelt, oats or rye. Many communities also avoid rice and pulses. Matzo takes the place of bread and when matzo is ground up it produces matzo meal which is a very versatile ingredient used in Passover recipes for pie crusts, cakes and biscuits such as Coconut Pyramids, Cinnamon Balls, Rout Cakes or Passover Sponge Cake, known as Plava.
In our house a year-round favourite is Rhubarb and Apricot Crumble which is usually made with flour but since we can't use flour during Passover matzo meal and potato flour are used instead to create a topping for the fruit. Almost any fruit can be used and an imaginative cook will make the most of the wide variety of fruits that can now be purchased at any time of the year.
A Bit about Rhubarb
This is a plant that grows prolifically in England from March right through to September. Rhubarb is actually a vegetable and not a fruit as many people think. On its own it is rather bitter and unpleasant and too much of it can cause stomach upsets.
The large leaves of the plant are poisonous and cause swelling of the throat and tongue as well as serious breathing difficulties. The stalks, which are edible, contain oxalates but not at high enough levels to cause problems. With a little sugar and honey rhubarb becomes a popular filling for crumbles and puddings.
Ingredients:
The Fruit Mix:
- 350 g/12 oz Rhubarb
- 350 g/12 oz Apricots - Dried, fresh or tinned apricots can be used but dried apricots produce a really interesting texture
- If using dried apricots these must be cut into small pieces and re-hydrated by soaking in hot water for two hours
- Fresh or tinned apricots must be cut into small pieces
- 3 teaspoons honey
- 175 g/6 ozs Cold Water
The Crumble Topping:
- 200 g/8 oz finest matzo meal
- 100 g/4 oz Potato flour
- 50 g/2 oz Ground almonds
- One teaspoon cinnamon
- 125 g/5 oz grams butter or sunflower margarine - for a better result keep the margarine in the refrigerator until ready to use
- 75 g/3 oz Demerara sugar – keep back a small amount for sprinkling on top of the crumble
Method:
To prepare the Fruit Filling:
- Pre-heat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas No. 5
- Cut the rhubarb into small chunks and place in an oven proof dish
- Add the apricots
- Add the honey
- Pour the water over the mixed fruit and honey
To prepare the Crumble Topping:
- Put the matzo meal into a large mixing bowl
- Add the potato flour and fat and rub together until the mixture looks like bread crumbs
- Add the brown sugar, almonds and cinnamon
- Spread the crumble over the cooked fruit
- Sprinkle the reserved sugar on top of the crumble
- Cook for approximately 25 minutes until the topping is crisp and golden brown
Allow the Rhubarb and Apricot Crumble to cool for five minutes before serving.
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