Like most Italian dishes, Italian haroset is different in one region from the other. While most recipes consist of the classic mix of nuts and dried and fresh fruit and then sweet wine, in some regions cooks added hard boiled eggs, chestnuts or orange juice and zest.
The version below comes from the Venice region and is adapted from Joyce Goldstein’s excellent book Cucina Ebraica, Flavors of the Italian Jewish Kitchen.
Italian chestnut and orange haroset
Course: Dips, pickles and relishes, HarosetCuisine: Italian, Israeli, JewishDifficulty: Easy5
cups10
minutesThis haroset comes from the Venice region and is adapted from Joyce Goldstein’s excellent book Cucina Ebraica, Flavors of the Italian Jewish Kitchen.
INGREDIENTS
1¼ cups cooked chestnut
½ cup dessert wine, such as muscat (moscato)
½ lb.dates, pitted
½ lb. dried figs, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
½ cup walnut, coarsely chopped
½ cup almonds, chopped
Grated zest and juice of 1 orange
½ cup golden raisins
Honey to taste (start with 1 teaspoon)
DIRECTIONS
- Combine chestnut and wine in a food processor and process to a paste. Add the rest of the ingredients and pulse to a coarse paste.
- Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate until serving. Serve at room temperature.
