There is no detailed recipe here, just a method and some guidelines. And perhaps this is how a Pesach recipe should be handed down generationally, with a little bit of this and a lot of that.
Of all the different dishes that we bring to the Pesach table, none is quite as family specific as the Charoset. Every family has their own way to make it and thus it becomes our favourite. So I am sharing with you my Savta’s recipe that I can only imagine has been handed down from time immemorial in my family.
All amounts are approximate:
- 400 grams pitted dates
- 150 grams chopped walnuts
- Sweet red wine (enough to cover the dates)
Place the dates in a bowl and pour in enough wine to just cover them when squeezed down. Allow the dates to soak for 20 minutes or until soft.
Add the dates and wine and walnuts to the bowl of a food processor attached with a blade, and process until you have a thick paste. You may need to add more wine, (or water if you have reached wine saturation point) to get a smoothish consistency.
My Savta, who didn’t have a food processor, would do this with two sharp knives in a bowl, and as soon as one of us was old enough we took over the charoset-making duties.
