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2 MIN READ

Helwat al Yaktin: Libyan Butternut Squash “Pudding” with Cinnamon, Ginger, and Vanilla

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©Jennifer Felicia Abadi:  www.JenniferAbadi.com

If you’ve always liked the idea of traditional American pumpkin pie, but simply never became much of a fan, this Eastern version might be for you. The trick is to use fresh butternut squash instead of pumpkin for a richer texture as well as a more natural sweetness (with a little spice from the ginger), and because it’s dairy- and gluten-free, the overall texture is lighter. It’s a nice way to end a heavy meal, and if you really miss the richness from the dairy, you can always serve it with some fresh whipped cream on top!

Yield: SERVES 8 / Makes eight 1/2-Cup servings

INGREDIENTS:
For Ramekins:
2 to 3 tablespoons safflower or vegetable oil

For Pudding:
2 tablespoons safflower or vegetable oil
2 1/2 pounds fresh butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes, (already peeled and cut cubes okay, but please don’t substitute with frozen or canned purée)
1/2 cup vanilla or regular almond milk
3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For Baking and Serving:
1 to 2 tablespoons safflower or vegetable oil (for greasing the bowls or pan)
1/2 cup reserved cooked butternut squash cubes (you will need about 8 small cooked cubes so that each serving gets a piece on top)
Ground cinnamon

EQUIPMENT:
Measuring cups and spoons
8-inch square or round baking or pie pan (non-stick, glass, or ceramic preferable over metal)
Baking pan
Large non-stick skillet
Medium mixing bowl

PROCEDURE:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.; Grease pan generously with oil and set aside.

2. Warm oil in a large non-stick skillet over high heat for 1 minute. Reduce to a medium-low heat and mix in the butternut squash cubes. Cover, and cook until very soft and slightly browned, about 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to prevent burning.

3. While the squash is cooking, whisk the milk, egg yolks, ginger, cinnamon, sugar, salt, and vanilla together in a medium bowl.

4. Pour squash cubes into a food processor and pulse until smooth. Scrape the puree into the bowl with the liquid mixture and gently mix to combine.

5. Scrape mixture into your prepared baking pan, spreading it out with the spatula to make it even. Place pan onto the middle rack of your oven and bake 1 hour until center is slightly firm and edges are pulling away from the pan. (Note: Mixture will still be a bit soft to the touch — but not liquidy, and overall top color will turn a deep orangey-brown.) Remove from heat and cool for 30 minutes, then cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and chill in refrigerator for 2 hours, or overnight.

6. Serve cold sprinkled with cinnamon.

Tags
autumn
butternut squash
dairy free
fall
halloween
Libya
libyan
non-dairy
pudding
pumpkin
treat
trick

2 Comments

on Helwat al Yaktin: Libyan Butternut Squash “Pudding” with Cinnamon, Ginger, and Vanilla.
  1. Jitterbug Creations
    October 1, 2015 @ 1:10 pm
    -

    Hi Jennifer, This looks delicious! Just a note – I am moving to Spain (Nerja near Malaga) at the end of this month and hope to explore all of my ancestry there and pick up more recipes. Trying it out for a year and if it works out I am there to stay. I am definitely taking your book with me!

  2. Jennifer Abadi
    October 1, 2015 @ 1:30 pm
    -

    That’s amazing news Sylvia! You will have to share your food discoveries as you go through Spain. Also wanted to mention that for this past Rosh Hashanna I prepared your Sephardic/Dutch apple syrup and it was divine!

jenniferabadi

A beautiful day for the annual Greek Jewish festiv A beautiful day for the annual Greek Jewish festival on the Lower East Side, organized by Kehila Kedosha Janina synagogue. Nice to see Sarah Aroeste and Susan Barocas at the Savor table and nosh on sesame candies. I even got to sign a few copies of my cookbooks « A Fistful of Lentils » and « Too Good To Passover » at the cookbook table!

Find out more and order the whole package of music, recipes and videos at savorexperience.com. 

“Too Good To Passover” and “A Fistful of Lentils” cookbooks available on Amazon.

#passover #seder #sépharade #nourriturejuive #kascher #moyenorient #méditerranéen #toogoodtopassover #jenniferabadi #afistfuloflentils #kosherfood #jewishfood #sephardicfood #middleeasternfood #arabicfood #conversion #syrianfood #virtuallearning #virtualcookingclass #personalchef #privatechef #savorexperience #ladino #sephardic
Join me and other women chefs from around the worl Join me and other women chefs from around the world for the “Savor: A Sephardic Music & Food Experience” virtual release party on SUNDAY, APRIL 23.

This is a multisensory way to learn about and experience Sephardic culture and history. Ten songs about food on the latest album by singer Sarah Aroeste are paired with recipes and cooking videos by women chefs from around the world including me. I'm so proud to be part of Savor! 

Find out more and pre-order the whole package of music, recipes and videos at savorexperience.com. 

REGISTER FOR FREE! 
at bit.ly/SavorRelease.

“Too Good To Passover” and “A Fistful of Lentils” cookbooks available on Amazon.

#passover #seder #sépharade #nourriturejuive #kascher #moyenorient #méditerranéen #toogoodtopassover #jenniferabadi #afistfuloflentils #kosherfood #jewishfood #sephardicfood #middleeasternfood #arabicfood #conversion #syrianfood #virtuallearning #virtualcookingclass #personalchef #privatechef #savorexperience #ladino #sephardic
Just because Passover is over doesn’t mean that Just because Passover is over doesn’t mean that we have stopped celebrating! In North African Jewish communities special breads are prepared to mark the end of the 8-day bread “fast” during a festival called Mimouna. 

Here is an example of a Libyan yeast bread with olive oil and fennel seeds called La Mimuna (like the name of the holiday itself). The hard boiled egg in the center represents fertility, the cycle of life, and new beginnings. The breads are reminiscent of special braided breads prepared for Easter by neighboring Christian communities. 
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“Too Good To Passover” cookbook available on Amazon.

#passover #seder #sépharade #nourriturejuive #kascher #moyenorient #méditerranéen #toogoodtopassover #jenniferabadi #afistfuloflentils #kosherfood #jewishfood #sephardicfood #middleeasternfood #arabicfood #conversion #syrianfood #virtuallearning #virtualcookingclass #personalchef #privatechef #mimouna #libyanfood #breads #eggs #fertility #mufleta
What we all look forward to: matzah brei for break What we all look forward to: matzah brei for breakfast! Need to buy more eggs…
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“Too Good To Passover” cookbook available on Amazon.

#passover #seder #sépharade #nourriturejuive #kascher #moyenorient #méditerranéen #toogoodtopassover #jenniferabadi #afistfuloflentils #kosherfood #jewishfood #sephardicfood #middleeasternfood #arabicfood #conversion #syrianfood #virtuallearning #virtualcookingclass #personalchef #privatechef #passover2023 #passoverrecipes #matzahbrei #matza #matzah #kosherforpassover
The best crafts are ones you can eat later.
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“Too Good To Passover” cookbook available on Amazon.

#passover #seder #sépharade #nourriturejuive #kascher #moyenorient #méditerranéen #toogoodtopassover #jenniferabadi #afistfuloflentils #kosherfood #jewishfood #sephardicfood #middleeasternfood #arabicfood #conversion #syrianfood #virtuallearning #virtualcookingclass #personalchef #privatechef #passover2023 #passoverrecipes #matza #granola #matzah #kosherforpassover
Open-faced Hillel sandwich. . . “Too Good To Pa Open-faced Hillel sandwich. 
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“Too Good To Passover” cookbook available on Amazon.

#passover #seder #sépharade #nourriturejuive #kascher #moyenorient #méditerranéen #toogoodtopassover #jenniferabadi #afistfuloflentils #kosherfood #jewishfood #sephardicfood #middleeasternfood #arabicfood #conversion #syrianfood #virtuallearning #virtualcookingclass #personalchef #privatechef #passover2023 #passoverrecipes #matza #granola #matzah #kosherforpassover #hillelsandwich
Passover 5783 has arrived. . “Too Good To Passo Passover 5783 has arrived.
.

“Too Good To Passover” cookbook available on Amazon, and if you are in New York City you can pick up a signed copy at @kalnyc Kitchen Arts & Letters cookbook store on Upper East Side!

#passover #seder #sépharade #nourriturejuive #kascher #moyenorient #méditerranéen #toogoodtopassover #jenniferabadi #afistfuloflentils #kosherfood #jewishfood #sephardicfood #middleeasternfood #arabicfood #conversion #syrianfood #virtuallearning #virtualcookingclass #personalchef #privatechef #passover2023 #passoverrecipes #matza #matzah #sedertable
Matzah farfola? Kosher for Passover granola. “ Matzah farfola? Kosher for Passover granola. 

“Too Good To Passover” cookbook available on Amazon, and if you are in New York City you can pick up a signed copy at @kalnyc Kitchen Arts & Letters cookbook store on Upper East Side!

#passover #seder #sépharade #nourriturejuive #kascher #moyenorient #méditerranéen #toogoodtopassover #jenniferabadi #afistfuloflentils #kosherfood #jewishfood #sephardicfood #middleeasternfood #arabicfood #conversion #syrianfood #virtuallearning #virtualcookingclass #personalchef #privatechef #passover2023 #passoverrecipes #matza #granola #matzah #kosherforpassover
Macaroons made ahead and frozen for Passover! Fr Macaroons made ahead and frozen for Passover! 

From “Too Good To Passover” cookbook:

Syrian pistachio macaroons with orange blossom water (page 396)

Italian almond-pignoli macaroons (page 616)

Books available on Amazon, and if you are in New York City you can pick up a signed copy at @kalnyc Kitchen Arts & Letters cookbook store on Upper East Side!

#passover #seder #sépharade #nourriturejuive #kascher #moyenorient #méditerranéen #toogoodtopassover #jenniferabadi #afistfuloflentils #kosherfood #jewishfood #sephardicfood #middleeasternfood #arabicfood #conversion #syrianfood #virtuallearning #virtualcookingclass #personalchef #privatechef #passover2023 #passoverrecipes #macaroons #amaretticookies #pignoli #almonds #pistachios #italianpastries
Vicki still has her great-grandmother Vida’s ori Vicki still has her great-grandmother Vida’s original burmelos pan from Monastir (today the city of Bitola) in the Republic of Macedonia. Her great-grandmother was Greek from Salonika (now Thessaloniki) but moved to Monastir to marry Vicki’s great-grandfather and join the Ladino-speaking Sephardic community. At the time the city was a part of the Ottoman Empire.

For a Passover burmuelos/bimuelos/bumuelos recipe check out my cookbook “Too Good To Passover” and look for the Greek, Turkish, and Bulgarian chapters!

Link in bio to my new website for upcoming Passover prep lessons and to purchase my cookbook.

“Too Good To Passover” is available on Amazon in the U.S. Canada, Europe, and Japan.
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#passover #seder #sépharade #nourriturejuive #kascher #méditerranéen #toogoodtopassover #jenniferabadi #afistfuloflentils #kosherfood #jewishfood #sephardicfood #middleeasternfood #arabicfood #conversion #syrianfood #virtuallearning #virtualcookingclass #personalchef #privatechef #passover2023 #passoverrecipes #sephardiccommunity #turkishfood #monastir #macedonia #bitola #ottomanempire #bunuelos #greekfood
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Jennifer Abadi | Helwat al Yaktin: Libyan Butternut Squash “Pudding” with Cinnamon, Ginger, and Vanilla