When Jews lived in the Roman ghetto, they weren’t allowed to buy large fish, so they made do with small ones like anchovies. Even generations later, cooks like Sara Pavoncello’s grandparents used them in dishes like this hearty winter soup.

Cookbook author Chanie Apfelbaum makes this salad with fresh figs, apples, beets, and pecans for Sukkot, but it’s wonderful anytime you can find figs. Sweet and fresh, it lends a refreshing crunch to heartier meats and starchy sides. 

In this dish, recipe writer Jamie Wei tops a block of silken tofu with a nutty, tahini based sauce, quick cucumber pickles, and fiery chili crisp. We love it alongside her Taiwanese brisket.

Léa Karsenty’s grandmother, Mamie Sara, makes this simple and piquant artichoke salad with lemon and saffron. Since it uses frozen artichoke hearts, it can be made year round.

A brief marinating period in the refrigerator infuses everyday green cabbage with a zippy lemony dressing.

When Sharon Fargo’s grandparents Nachum and Fahimah set out for Israel from Syria they brought lentils with them to sustain them for the journey. This simple family recipe for lentil soup comes together quickly and is brightened with fresh cilantro. 

This bright and zingy arugula salad with apples and walnuts from culinary educator Anna Gershenson offers a fresh note to dinner. 

Chopped herring, sometimes mixed with onions and apples, is known as forshmak, which means pre-taste or appetizer in Yiddish, but you can also serve it alongside a salad for a light and easy dinner. 

"The key to good matzo brei lies in two things: very seasoned, very caramelized onions; and properly soaked matzo boards,” explains cookbook author Alison Roman. You will find both in her recipe. 

This oven-poached salmon from Wise Sons’ Evan Bloom is exceptionally easy to make and very versatile. You can use the leftovers in scrambled eggs, a sandwich, or fish salad. 

Henry Glucroft’s Romanian grandmother Coca used to make this pan-fried sole recipe along with a cornmeal porridge called mamaliga and a vegetable ragu known as guvetch. On a busy night, serve it with any vegetables you have on hand and fresh bread. 

When Anna Gershenson was little, her mother Rhoda made a simple chicken with onions. As a professional cook, Anna added olives, prunes, and lemon for a dish that’s special enough for a holiday, but simple enough to make during the week. 

In classic shakshuka recipes, eggs are nestled and gently cooked in a spiced tomato sauce. In this rendition, the sauce is replaced with creamy and tangy labneh that’s seasoned with herbs.

In Middle Eastern Jewish communities, mujadara is often cooked on Thursdays so cooks can focus on preparing for Shabbat. To speed things up, be sure to caramelize the onions as the rice and lentils cook. 

Tamar Moradoff’s kuku sabzi is loaded with fresh herbs, leeks, and spinach. It’s wonderful served warm or room temperature the following day.

Fasírt (pronounced foh-shet) are Hungarian patties that are traditionally made with breadcrumbs. Baily Kohn’s great-grandmother Alta Blima preferred using leftover challah in her recipe. The addition of smoky paprika and grated onion make these crowd-pleasers.

This chicken schnitzel recipe from Rachel Simons’ family is easy to make and wonderfully crunchy. Serve it with her cherry sauce or on its own.

Italo Camerino’s Roman Jewish family used to cook this spaghetti dish when he was growing up in Montreal. Use the simmering time for the sauce to make the pasta and a salad, too. 

Susie Stark Serevenich’s mom Handa used to fry a batch of these crispy chicken wings the family calls “bubbie chicken” for her grandchildren to tide them over until Shabbat dinner. 

Chef and baker Rinat Tzadok adapted her father’s slow-simmering recipe for chicken stew to her quicker-paced life. Her recipe is ready in 45 minutes, but still captures the flavor of her dad’s version.

These simple wings get a sweet touch from orange juice, which caramelizes as they roast. Serve them alongside amba, a pickled mango condiment that’s worth seeking out. 

These chocolate tahini truffles take just 10 minutes to make — but they will need an hour in the freezer to firm up, so be sure to make the recipe before dinner. 

This traditional compote recipe comes from Benjamin Lesser’s grandfather who lived in Mukatch, Hungary before the Holocaust. His home was “on a major street called Sugar — an appropriate name for that sweet home,” Benjamin explains.