Falafel is sold on street corners in every city and town in Israel. Some call it the “Israeli hamburger.”
Makes about 24 falafel balls.
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. canned chick-peas (drained)
1 large onion, chopped
2 tbs. finely chopped parsley
1 egg
1 tsp. salt
1/2 to 1 cup breadcrumbs or fine bulgur (crushed wheat)
1 tsp. ground coriander or cumin
1 tsp. dried hot peppers
1 tsp. garlic powder
vegetable oil (for frying)
STEPS:
•Combine chick-peas with onion.
•Add parsley, lightly beaten egg and spices. Mix in blender.
•Add breadcrumbs until mixture forms a small ball without sticking to your hands.
•Form chick-pea mixture into small balls about the size of a quarter (one inch in diameter).
•Flatten patties slightly and fry until golden brown on both sides.
•Drain falafel balls on paper towels. Serve individually with toothpicks as an hors d’oeuvre or as a sandwich filling with chopped tomato, cucumber, radish, lettuce, onion, hummus and/or tehina inside pita bread.
The Pinto Torah Center (Sephardic) is just a few blocks from where I live. A friend of mine recommended we just try it since it is a smaller more intimate space. A friend’s next door neighbor’s family also worships there and they love it.
Because we were women, we sat in the back, hidden behind a heavy wall to wall curtain. Unfortunately, this heavy curtain also muffled the sounds of the rabbi and we could barely make out what he was saying; you can add to this a language barrier. Like many services at other places sometimes the women trickle in. There was much singing and energy from the men’s section which was nice. After the service, the heavy curtain was drawn back and tables were set out and we were invited to stay. The people were very warm.
There is a good article from the Jewish Journal by Julie Fax that tells the story of the Pinto Torah Center. (1)
8660 W Pico Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90035
Tel. +1 310.657.8711
1. Julie Fax, L.A. 5758 Sephardic Spirit: At Pinto Torah Center, modern outreach has mystic roots,
http://www.jewishjournal.com/old_stories/article/la_5758_sephardic_spirit_19981007/ (October 6, 1998)
This is a simple recipe for hummus that does not call for Tahini.
Makes: enough for two people to share.
INGREDIENTS:
1 can of garbanzo beans
1 clove garlic
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
juice from ½ lemon
½ tsp salt, plus more to taste
handful of chopped fresh parsley
paprika to taste (optional)
STEPS:
•Drain bean juice from garbanzo beans.
•Process garlic clove in a food processor until it looks finely chopped.
•Add the can of garbanzo beans to the garlic clove in the food processor along with olive oil, lemon juice, and salt.
•Process until the garbanzo beans are pureed to the consistency you want. For a smoother consistency, puree longer, and add (a little at a time) more lemon juice and/or olive oil.
•Add parsley at the end and pulse until parsley is just chopped, salt (if necessary) and paprika to taste.
•Garnish with a drizzle of oilve oil, additional paprika, and serve with toasted pita wedges.
REVIEW:
I went to Temple Beth Am occassionally for about a year. On Saturday mornings in the main sanctuary, I liked to catch the drash by the Senior Rabbi at the time, Rabbi Joel Rembaum. I liked that Rabbi Rembaum could be technically specific, but at the same time be able to break complicated concepts down in a way that was accessible to a lay audience. The congregation at Temple Beth Am is incredibly warm and inviting and there is a very low barrier to the newcomer.
There is another sanctuary on Saturday mornings that I really recommend and this gathering is called the Library Minyan. On any given Saturday, it is normally packed inside. The Library Minyan is lay led and according to a friend of mine contains the creme of the Conservative movement, whatever that means. The drash is usually interesting and the service uplifting. The people there are nice and friendly and a few times the person sitting next to me has offered to help me with the Hebrew in the prayerbook which I am still learning to read. The reception/mixer they have afterwards is quite nice.
There is sometimes a learner’s minyan on Saturday mornings by a group called Judaism by Choice led by Rabbi Neal Weinberg which is very useful for someone new or someone looking to brush up on understanding the service. All of these minyans have optional handouts with the transliteration of the service. They also cue the congregation on what page they’re at in the prayer book, which sounds like a simple and practical thing, but it’s missing from other places I’ve been.
I also attended the Friday night Neshama Minyan which features uplifting singing throughout the service. I liked the intimacy of the small space, about classroom sized and again the friendliness of the congregation is noticeable.
If you are used to the Art Scroll Orthodox version, the prayer book is different. There is no prayer for the restoration of sacrifices. References to resurrection are retained in the Hebrew text, but they are reinterpreted in English: “[He] who revives the dead” becomes in English “Master of life and death.” Two parallel openings of the Amidah prayer appear, one with the traditional reference to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and another featuring the matriarchs as well.
Rabbi Adam Kligfeld, Senior Rabbi
Rabbi Susan Leider, Assistant Rabbi
1039 South La Cienega Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90035
PHONE: [310] 652-7353
FAX: [310] 652-2384
WEB: http://www.tbala.org
EMAIL: betham@tbala.org
President: Diane Shapiro
Executive Director: Sheryl Goldman
KABBALAT SHABBAT – FRIDAY EVENING SERVICES
NESHAMA MINYAN
This Friday night minyan meets every week for a lively Kabbalat Shabbat/Ma’ariv service using the melodies of the late Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach. Led by Rabbi Susan Leider and Rabbi Daniel Greyber, congregants sing, dance and welcome Shabbat with much joy and spirit. For more information contact Rabbi Leider at ext. 230 or atsleider@tbala.org.
5:30 Mincha
5:45 Kabbalat Shabbat, Ma’ariv
Services will be led by Rabbi Susan Leider, Rabbi Daniel Greyber, or Rabbinic Intern Elana Zelony.
SHABBAT MORNING SERVICES
SHIR HADASH
Come together in song and daven the Shabbat morning Service in the TBA Sanctuary with inspiring melodies. A complete transliteration booklet encourages everyone’s full participation. Shacharit begins at 9:45 a.m. in the Sanctuary; we daven P’sukei D’zimrah at 9:15 a.m. in Pilch Hall. For more information contact Rabbi Rembaum at ext. 210 or jrembaum@tbala.org.
LIBRARY MINYAN
Temple Beth Am’s Library Minyan, which meets in the Dorff-Nelson Chapel on Shabbat and Holiday mornings, is a participatory, lay-led, davening and learning community that blends traditional observance with a fully modern and egalitarian approach to Jewish living. The Library Minyan is recognized nationally for its unique constellation of members. The Minyan is governed by a series of committees that organize participation in all aspects of the Service, from leading the congregation in prayer to reading the weekly Torah and Haftarah portions to delivering divrei torah. Decisions on Library Minyan policy are made through the democratic process. The Library Minyan, as part of Temple Beth Am, enjoys spiritual guidance from Rabbis Rembaum and Leider, who are actively involved in this highly respected model for synagogues around the country. Services begin at 9:45 a.m, or at 9:30 a.m. on days when Hallel is recited. For more information contact Marizon Nimoy at marizon25@gmail.com or visit the website at www.libraryminyan.org.
BAIT TEFILLAH (HOUSE OF PRAYER)
An informal Shabbat morning service, which meets in the intimate setting of Pilch Hall, is designed to be participatory, interactive, and educational. Bait Tefillah encourages and supports members as they take parts in the service in a safe and non-threatening environment. Bait Tefillah will meet you wherever you are on your spiritual journey. Services begin at 9:45 a.m. Contact Cori Drasin at ext. 210 or cdrasin@tbala.org, or Judy Cowan, gabbai, at (310) 645-8462.
According to Wikipedia, Laffa bread is really a variant of Taboon bread, a flatbread eaten in the Middle East so called because it is traditionally baked in a taboon oven, a pan that looks like an inverted skillet (Arabic: خبز طابون:bread of the taboon, Hebrew: לאפה : la-fah).
Taboon bread is used as a wrapper for hummus, falafel or shawarma or any number of other fillings.
Versions of taboon bread include:
- Laffa or Lafa is an Iraqi pita that is of medium thickness, slightly chewy, doesn’t tear easily, and is mostly used to wrap shawarma in food stands.
- Druze pita is paper thin and traditionally spread with Labneh, olive oil, and/or zaatar.
- Bukharan pita, an oval, thin and crispy flatbread, spiked with cumin seeds. Usually eaten as a snack by Bukharan Jews, along with savory food.
Iraqi and Druze pita are yeastless. They are fermented using inherent properties in flour and starch. The Iraqi pita is similar in thickness to flour tortillas. Druze pita (also called sagg pita) is very thin and quite large.
This laffa bread recipe comes from Am Ksche Oref at http://amksheoref.blogspot.com/2009/07/laffa-and-pita-bread-recipes.html
7 cups bread flour
one package dry yeast
3 cups water
2 tablespoons sugar (a bit more may be added if desired)
1 teaspoon salt (again, a bit more may be added for a saltier bread, but don’t overdo it!)
4 tablespoons olive oil (I use the mild kind, but any will do).
Mix the yeast with the flour. Add water, sugar, salt and olive oil and knead for about 10 minutes, until dough is smooth, shiny, and slightly sticky. Add flour if needed (too wet) or water (if too dry).
Transfer dough to a large greased (I use olive oil) bowl (in truth, I just knead the dough in a giant bowl to begin with and when I’m done, I take out the dough, grease the giant bowl, and return the dough to the bowl). Generously rub top and sides with olive oil. Allow dough to rise to double its size.
Divide dough into 12 equal pieces (you may get one or two more, and that’s fine). Roll each piece into a ball, place on a floured surface, cover with a damp towel (I just wet and use a paper towel) and allow to rest for ten minutes. Roll out each piece into a 12-14 inch round.
Now, there are two ways of baking:
Method 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. place rounds on a cookie sheet (covered with parchment paper) and bake for about ten minutes.
Method 2 (the one I use simply because I haven’t tried Method 1 yet):
This is easiest of you have an electric burner.
Turn burner on to a medium high heat. place a large pan or wok BOTTOMS UP over the burner and bake the laffa on the bottom of the pan (I happen to have a new pan I never used, so this worked well for me). Bake until bubbles form and bottom of the laffa begins to develop some brown spots. Flip and bake other side. Make sure the laffa is COMPLETELY flat, otherwise you’ll have unbaked edges. I use a spatula to flatten the bread when I turn it over.
Recently, I started using an 11″x11″ stovetop griddle (two, actually, over the large burners). I use a slightly lower heat. This method takes far less time and I think they come out even better than baking them on an upside-down pan.
Remove from over or pan (depending on what method you use) and place inside a towel (any kitchen towel will do. Let cool for about a minute, and then immediately transfer into a plastic bag and close it up! The moisture from the heat is what will make the laffa very pliable, moist, and yummy. Keep adding laffas to the bag.
Enjoy warm. You may freeze these. When you reheat, reheat IN the plastic bag so they stay moist.
Hope you have as much fun making these as I do!
P.S. To make these into pitas:
Follow steps UP to the part where you divide the dough:
Divide dough into TWENTY equal parts, roll into balls, place on floured surface, and cover with a damp towel. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
Roll out each ball into a 10-12 inch round and about 1/4 inch thick. Place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet and bake for 5 minutes, just until the pitas swell up and begin to show golden spots. Avoid over-baking if you don’t want to end up with giant pita chips.
Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. Cover pitas with a kitchen towel for a few minutes to keep them soft. Enjoy!
Matisyahu rapping with Infected Mushroom
Clothes are wasted on the young. Candy ravers outfitted in skanty Victoria Secret underwear and furry back packs had turned out for ATB, Germany’s Andre Tanneberger who delivered with a 3 hour set to get things rolling. What they also got was a live head banging performance by Israeli-Los Angeles psy-trance band
Infected Mushroom with guest appearance by reggae-rapper
Matisyahu. I hadn’t seen Infected Mushroom in several years and remembered them to be more psy-trance. Psy-trance as in more synth lines, more trance rhythms, industrial blips and blops. The current Infected Mushroom is heavily guitar and drums, more rock-and-roll and bare. Matisyahu’s word play provided a rap-ish element on top of this, even ending his performance with a stage dive.
Infected Mushroom
A veritable bazaar of specialty fabrics and notions, Mood Fabrics was featured on Project Runway as the go-to fabric store for designers. Going to Mood Fabrics is as good as a trip downtown to the garment district in terms of what you’ll find. This is a high quality fabric store and prices are what you would expect, sometimes leaning on the high side. The staff is friendly, but will leave you alone to browse at your leisure. Unlike downtown LA, there is plenty of free parking in their parking lot.
6151 West Pico Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90035
(323) 653-6663
www.moodfabrics.com
Click here for YELP reviews
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REVIEW:
Not too large, not too small, this venue is the perfect size for hearing your favorite local band or the regular jazz acts it hosts. The acoustics of the space is quite good. The Mint is a beautiful old bar with a speakeasy vibe, with dark wood paneling, dark leather booths, velvet drapes, and chandeliers. She celebrated her 70th birthday just a few years ago and is a part of LA history. According to the club, “Back in the day, the likes of Stevie Wonder, Willie Dixon, Natalie Cole, Ray Charles and more graced its stage and more recently, Ben Harper, Macy Gray, The Wallflowers honed their craft and kicked off their careers playing this Los Angeles night club.”
The cover runs around $20 to $25 on Fridays/Saturdays, but they also occasionally have a free jazz night on Mondays. The venue is not large and at times it can get crowded, loud and humid. There’s a two drink minimum to grab a table, but the service is excellent and the staff friendly. The drinks are fairly priced for what you would find in Los Angeles. The bar food is quite good, especially the garlic fries and deep fried calamari and mini sirloin burgers. There is plenty of parking on the street, but they also have valet.
6010 W Pico Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90035
(323) 954-9400
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Kosher – Meat
This is the best kosher Italian restaurant in the Pico-Robertson area. A perfect start to dinner are the Avocado Egg Rolls, the Spicy Tuna Tartar, or the Chicken Tenders served with a side of peanut sauce. Move on to one of their many soups, including a hearty matzo ball soup or rich minestrone. They have many salad choices, including a highly recommended Chinese Chicken Salad and Warm Duck Salad. The rest of the menu consist of a long list of traditional Italian pastas, chicken, beef and veal dishes.
Where they really excel is with their ribs, tender, melt off the bone goodness dipped in their specialty glaze. A full menu of wines is perfect for any pairing. Prices are decent for a good kosher restaurant and the service is attentive.
The only big negative to this restaurant is the lack of street parking in the neighborhood.
Menu
6405 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(323) 852-1915
www.lagondola.com
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According to Wikipedia, Laffa bread is really a variant of Taboon bread, a flatbread eaten in the Middle East so called because it is traditionally baked in a taboon oven, a pan that looks like an inverted skillet (Arabic: خبز طابون:bread of the taboon, Hebrew: לאפה : la-fah).
