My grandmother, Bless her Soul, made the most amazing dishes.  Sadly, all the recipes disappeared when she passed away because she would never reveal any of her secrets.  She was born and raised in Egypt and emigrated with the Exodus of the 1950′s.

One dish I remember LOVING as a child was her charoset, a staple of the Passover Seder.  I used to steal the walnuts with some of the sweet dip during the Seder.

My grandmother lived (with my father’s family) in Italy for a while and from my research, I think her charoset recipe is a blend of a traditional Egyptian charoset and a traditional Italian charoset.

It seems fitting since my husband’s parents were both born in Italy.

I don’t have amounts, so these are approximate and then you can adjust based on taste.

The recipe:

• 1 Cup dried dates, chopped
• 1 tablespoon raisins
• one apple (shredded) or 1/3 cup of apple sauce (I think the applesauce gives the charoset the flavour that I remember)
• a bit of sugar (if you’d like it even sweeter)
• a pinch of cinnamon or ground ginger (if you like that flavour)
• a splash (or three!) of sweet wine or grape juice

Put the raisins and the dates into a saucepan with some of the wine (or grape juice) and some water and simmer gently until everything is softened and the liquid is gone.  Add all the ingredients together and blend.  Enjoy!

What charoset recipe do you use?  Was it a traditional recipe in your family (or country)?