1. food and drink
2. food
3. grains and pasta

Tzedek Live Below the Line Kosher Recipes
The prospect of living on £1 a day for all of your food and drink can seem rather daunting, if not
terrifying, so we wanted to make it a little bit easier for our participants by providing some kosher
recipes designed by Denise Phillips and Silvia Nacamulli. Is this possible in NW London? Cooking for 6
is more economical than cooking for one, so invite some friends and then hopefully you will be
invited back!
Denise Phillips’ Below The Line Kosher recipes
Denise Phillips- trained with prominent
restaurateur Prue Leith and then went on
to set up her own catering company. In
addition, she is the author of five books
on cooking. Denise has gone to great
lengths to aid Tzedek in preparing kosher
recipes for Live below the Line. Without
her contributions and support, these
amazing recipes would not be at our
disposal.
Carrot and apple soup
Soup is one of the easiest starters for family meals. Carrots, sweetened with apples and a teaspoon
of honey provide a delicious warming soup.
The carrot is the second most popular vegetable in the world after the potato. It is extremely
versatile ~ ideal for cakes, soups, salads, stews, purees and even jams! In terms of nutrition carrots
are important the healthy eyes, skin, hair, growth and the immune system. They can lower
cholesterol, prevent heart attacks and reduce certain types of cancer.
NB: When soups are pureed, I like to garnish them with the ingredients they are made with.
Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking: 30 minutes
serves: 8 people
Ingredients
1 kg carrots – peeled and roughly chopped £1.00
1 onion –peeled and roughly chopped 20p
2 tablespoons olive oil – fry frying 20p
2 leeks – peeled and sliced 40p
2 apples – peeled, cored and roughly chopped
50p2 litres vegetable stock 30p
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
£2.60 for 8= 33p per person
Method
Heat a large deep saucepan with the olive oil. Sauté the onion and leek together until soft but not
brown. Add the carrots, apples and stock. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 25 minutes or until
soft. Transfer to a liquidiser and puree to a smooth consistency. Taste and season.
For the garnish, using a paring knife make very thin strips of carrots and apple.
Fettuccine with Chicken Livers
If you love chicken livers and want a quick mid-week supper –put this recipe on the menu. Lightly
fried chicken livers with red wine and garlic make a very tasty meal made in less than 15 minutes.
As well as being very economical to buy, Chicken livers also provide numerous vitamins and minerals
required for a healthy diet. Rich in vitamin B12 that supports the red blood cells and iron to prevent
anaemia, they are also high in protein.
Preparation: 10 minutes
Cooking: 15 minutes
Serves: 4-6 people
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil 1p
450g koshered chicken livers – cut in half £2.00
1 bunch spring onions – trimmed and sliced 30p
3 cloves garlic- peeled and sliced 2p
450g dried fettuccine or other dried pasta £1.49
100g cherry tomatoes- cut in half 33p
Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1p
£4.16 for 6 = 69p per person
Method
Heat a frying pan with olive oil. Add the chicken livers, onions and garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes until
the onions are soft and the liver is cooked. In a deep saucepan cook the pasta in salted boiling water
according to the packet instructions. Drain. Stir in the cooked pasta and cherry tomatoes. Transfer to
a serving dish and serve immediately. A dusting of black pepper.
Herb Omelette Wedges
I am always looking for creative ways to introduce vegetables in to family cooking, and I think you
will find this herb omelette is a brilliant way of enticing fussy eaters. This recipe is made with a
variety of chopped herbs and some finely chopped tomatoes and spring onions and it can be eaten
hot or cold. When cold, they make a delicious option to go in a picnic box or packed lunch. Keep for
Pesach time, for breakfast or light lunch.
The basis of this recipe is eggs which have a great symbolic meaning in Jewish culture. During
Pesach hard boiled eggs symbolise the festival sacrifices that were offered in the Temple. My
husband’s family have the tradition of slicing up the egg and serve it in salted water as opposed to
my family who serve it whole. The egg is also a symbol of mourning as it is always served to
mourners after a funeral evoking the idea of mourning over the destruction of the Temple.
There is also a Yemen tradition of painting eggs at Purim and sending them to friends as mishloach
manot gifts who subsequently ate them at the Purim seduah (festive meal).
Source: Rabbi Demari of Jerusalem whose parents came from Yemen in 1949
Preparation: 10 minutes
Cooking: 15 minutes
Serves: 6-8 people
Ingredients
8 eggs 64p
4 spring onions – finely chopped 12p
4 tablespoons mixed fresh herbs – basil, mint, parsley or thyme
4p4 cherry tomatoes – cut into quarters 8p
2 cloves garlic –peeled and finely chopped 2p
2 -3 tablespoons vegetable oil 3p
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Garnish: 5 – 6 cherry tomatoes – sliced 12p
Sprigs of basil 4p
6 teaspoons pesto sauce or sun dried tomato paste 18p
£1.27 for 7 = 18p per person
Method
Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Stir in the spring onions and garlic and cook for 3 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and herbs. Break the eggs into a bowl and beat lightly with a fork. Season the
mixture. Raise the heat under the vegetables. After a minute pour in the eggs and mix them with the
other ingredients and stop stirring. Cook over a moderate heat for 5-6 minutes or until the omelette
is puffed and golden brown. Use a palette knife to release the sides and base.
Take a large plate, place it upside down over the pan and holding it firmly with oven gloves, and turn
the pan and the omelette over onto it.
Slide the omelette back into the pan and continue cooking until golden brown on the other side – 34 minutes. Remove from the heat and cut into wedges.
To serve the stylish way:
Spoon a small amount of pesto on the centre of the wedge, garnish with slices of tomato and sprigs
of basil.
Jacket Potatoes with Mustard Mash
These are a great creation that can be added to most main courses or served as part of a buffet.
They are easy to make and make a pleasant change to the standard plain jacket potato being filled
with a combination of garlic, mustard and grated courgettes but the variation of fillings is endless;
cheese, chopped tomatoes, tuna, mushrooms, spinach etc To prepare them in advance, cook up to
the final stage so last minute finishing is straightforward.
Preparation: 10 minutes
Cooking: 1 hour 35 minutes
Serves: 12 people
Ingredients
6 floury potatoes 30p
2 tablespoons olive oil 2p
50g margarine/ butter 50p
2 cloves garlic – peeled and finely chopped 2p
2 courgettes – coarsely grated 66p
4 spring onions – trimmed and sliced 18p
1 tablespoon mustard 2p
Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1p
Garnish: Bunch of chives – cut into 4 cm lengths
80pBlack pepper
£2.51 for 12 = 21p per person
Cook’s Tip: Try to find potatoes of similar size so that they complete cooking at the same time.
Method
Pre heat the oven to 200 C/ 400 C/ Gas mark 6. Wash the potatoes and prick with a fork. Bake for 1
hour or until tender. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan. Cook the courgettes until softened and
all the water has evaporated. Add the garlic and spring onions and cook for another minute. Cut the
potatoes in half and scoop out the filling into a bowl leaving the skins intact. Add the margarine,
mustard and courgette mixture. Then season well with salt and black pepper. Divide between the
skins. Place on a baking tray and cook for a final 20 minutes or until golden brown.
To serve the stylish way: Garnish with sticks of chives and a dusting of black pepper.
Kasha with Mushrooms
Kasha or bulgur wheat/ buck wheat grains was a popular dish with the poorer Jews in Russia. It is still
considered to be an acquired taste but is a nutritious grain as it is high in fibre and low in fat.
The secret of making good kasha is in first toasting it until the grain gives off an aroma and then
baking it.
Bulghur wheat can be purchased in fine, medium or coarse grain, for a true authentic texture, the
coarse grain is the one to use. Ready toasted is also available in some supermarkets, which provide a
useful short cut to the recipe.
Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking: 1 hour
Serves: 8 people
Ingredients
500g bulgur wheat/ buckwheat grains £1.08
1 egg – lightly beaten 20p
1 teaspoon salt
850 ml chicken or vegetable stock 20p
2 large onions – peeled and finely chopped 20p
450g white mushrooms – roughly chopped £1.00
4 tablespoons vegetable oil 10p
Freshly ground black pepper
£2.78 for 8= 35p per person
Method
Pre-heat the oven to 180 C/350 F/ Gas mark 4. Toast the kasha grains in a large frying pan for 2 -3
minutes or until the grains start to give off an aroma. Immediately add the beaten egg to the pot and
stir vigorously into the kasha. Add the stock and stir. Transfer to an ovenproof dish and cook covered
for 45 minutes in the oven. While the kasha is cooking, heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan. Sauté
onions and mushrooms until soft and the mushroom liquor has been absorbed. Add the parsley and
cook for a further minute. Then season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
When the kasha is ready, stir in the onion and mushroom mixture.
Sesame Bread
This tasty round bread is delicious with soup, stews, tagines, and dips or as a snack with your
favourite spread. Originating from the Middle East, it is similar to pita bread but has a sesame seed
topping. Alternatively try cumin seeds, poppy seeds or black sesame seeds. The puffy round loaves
freeze well; make double the quantity and keep the extra for another time.
Preparation: 15 minutes plus 1 hour for rising
Cooking: 30 minutes
Makes: 6 loaves
Ingredients
500g strong white flour 90p
100ml warm water
1 tablespoon salt
7g dried yeast (1 sachet) 12p
1 teaspoon sugar 10p
2 egg yolks – for glazing 20p
4 tablespoons sesame seeds
20p
£1.52 for 6= 25p per person
Method
Dilute the yeast in the warm water. Stir in the sugar and leave for 5 minutes. Place the flour and salt
in a large mixing bowl. Add the diluted yeast and mix the dough adding more water so that it forms a
round ball. Add more flour if it is too sticky.
Divide the dough into 6 equal parts and shape into 4 rounds. Glaze with egg yolk and sprinkle with
sesame seeds. Line an oven tray with baking parchment paper. Place the round loaves on the baking
tray and cover. Leave to rise for 1 hour. Pre-heat the oven to 200C/400F/ Gas mark 6.
Bake for 30 minutes or until golden. Enjoy with your favourite spread or topping.
Silvia Nacamulli’s Below The Line Kosher recipes
Silvia Nacamulli-Having lived in Rome; Silvia
became an expert in Italian Jewish cooking
before setting up her own business in 2002
establishing herself as a professional cook.
Sylvia is also affiliated with several Jewish
charities and writes regularly about Italian
Jewish cookery. Sylvia’s help is of great
benefit to Tzedek and her recipes are an
instrumental part of supporting are Live
below the Line participants.
Frittata with potatoes, pumpkin and cinnamon
Ingredients:
2 eggs 16p
1 potato, diced 5p
50 gr. pumpkin/butternut squash, diced 5p.
1 teaspoon cinnamon 1p
¼ small onion, finely chopped 3p
1 garlic cloves, crushed 1p
Small bunch of fresh lemon thyme/thyme/parsly
1p2 tbsp. oil 2p
1 fresh fruit 2p
Cost 37p
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 200°C/380F/Gas Mark 6
Remove the seeds from the pumpkin, peel the pumpkin and the potatoes, dice them into 1x1cm
cubes and rinse them. Drain and place them in a oven tray together with the onion, the garlic, the
thyme/fresh herbs, salt, pepper and oil. Stir well and roast until golden for about 40 minutes,
stirring half way through. Beat the eggs in a large bowl with the cinnamon, salt and pepper.
Once the potato and pumpkin are cooked and golden add them to the egg mixture. Pour on a oven
tray and bake in the hot oven for 10-12 min using the grill for the last couple of minutes if you want
a gold finish. Leave to cool down for 5 before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Complete your breakfast meal with a fresh fruit and have a great start of your day!
Why this meal is so good:
This is a perfect filling breakfast and very tasty. You get plenty of protein in the eggs, carbs in the
potatoes and vitamins in the pumpkin. I also recommend a fruit of your choice for breakfast or a
snack in mid-morning, giving you yet more vitamins, fibres and natural sugars which give the energy
you need for the start of the day. Enjoy!
Vegetable Soup with couscous
Ingredients:
2 tbsp oil 2p
¼ small onion, finely chopped 3p
2 garlic cloves, crushed 2p
1 carrot, diced 4p
1 cabbage leaf, sliced 2p
1 potato, diced 5p
20 gr. spinach, fresh or frozen, chopped 10p
50 gr. basic borlotti/cannellini/kidney beans (drained)
5p1 tomato 6p
Seasoning (salt & pepper) 1p
70 gr. couscous 5p
Cost 45p
Instructions:
Heat up the olive oil in a large sauce pan and add the onion, garlic, salt and pepper. After a few
minutes add all the vegetables, stir well and sauté for 5 minutes. Add 1 Lt boiling water and cover.
Leave the soup to cook, stirring occasionally, for about 45 min to 1 hour over a low flame and
partially covered. Cook the couscous separately and keep warm until ready to serve with the soup.
Why this meal is so good:
You can remove and add vegetables from the ingredients list as you like, so you can adapt it with
local availability and seasonality of produces. Beans are a great source of protein, and they can be
replaced or topped up by chickpeas and lentils instead. The different vegetables are rich fiber and
vitamins, and spinach is particularly rich in iron.
Soups keep you sated for longer, and served with couscous becomes a whole meal. The couscous
can be replaced by rice, pasta or also left out if unavailable. This recipe usually makes a few portions,
therefore great left over for the next day, when it tastes even better!
Pasta with broccoli
Ingredients:
2 tbsp oil 2p
2 cloves of garlic, finely sliced 1p
1 fresh chilli, seeds removed and finely sliced 1p
1 broccoli 8p
Seasoning (salt & pepper) 1p
100 gr. short pasta 5p
Cost: 18p
Instructions:
Wash the broccoli, peel the stems and cut it in quarters. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a
boil and add the broccoli. Leave to boil uncovered for 10 minutes or until tender. Then drain the
broccoli with a slotted spoon and cut it into smaller pieces.
TIP: Keep the water in which you boiled the broccoli, as you’ll use it to cook the pasta.
Warm the olive oil in a large non stick frying pan over medium heat together with the cloves of
garlic, the red chilli pepper and some salt & pepper. Leave it to cook for a minute and add the
broccoli. Turn the flame up and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden.
In the meantime, bring the water in which you cooked the broccoli to the boil and add the pasta.
Stir well and leave to cook for as long as the package says or until ‘al dente’. Before draining the
pasta, take out one cup of boiling water from the pot and put it on one side. Drain the pasta and
add it to the pan with the broccoli over medium heat. Stir well and whilst stirring, slowly add the
cup of water you put to one side earlier. You will see that the pasta will absorb the liquid, let it
absorb it and add more until it’s creamy (it may not need all the water, so add as necessary).
Why this meal is so good:
Pasta is a great source of Carbohydrates and broccoli of dietary fiber, calcium and Vitamin A. It is a
very tasty and filling meal!