When you think of Hanukkah nosh, you think latkes: delicious fried potato pancakes with dollops of apple sauce or sour cream. But did you know that jelly doughnuts, known as sufganiyot, are a traditional Hanukkah treat in Israel? Follow the recipe below from Judy Bart Kancigor’s Cooking Jewish to make about 3 ½ dozen of these popular pastries:

Pnina Shichor’s Sufganiyot

(jelly doughnuts)

½ cup plus scant 1 cup warm water

(105 to 110 degrees F)

3 packages active dry yeast

½ cup sugar

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup vegetable oil

4 large eggs, beaten

5 to 6 cups all-purpose flour

Canola or corn oil, for frying

Jam (any flavor)

Confectioner’s sugar

1. Preheat the oven on the lowest setting for 15 minutes, and turn it off.
2. Pour the ½ cup warm water into a very large (at least 6-quart) bowl. Add the yeast and stir to dissolve it. Then add 1 teaspoon of the sugar, stir, and set the mixture aside until bubble, 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Stir the scant 1 cup water, salt, oil, remaining sugar, and eggs into the yeast mixture. Add 3 cups of the flour, and mix. Gradually knead in the remaining flour until the dough is spongy and elastic but still feels slightly tacky. Remove the dough and oil the bowl (no need to wash it). Turn the dough in the bowl to coat it all over with oil, and loosely cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
4. Let the dough rise in the turned-off oven until it nearly reaches the top of the bowl, about 2 hours.
5. Punch down the dough and roll it out on a lightly floured surface until it is ¼-inch thick. Using a 3-inch biscuit cutter or glass, cut out the rounds of dough. Place the rounds on a baking sheet and set them aside to rise, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
6. Pour oil to a depth of 1 inch into an electric frying pan (preferred), deep fryer, or large, heavy skillet and heat it to 365 degrees F.
7. Dip your fingers in flour, and lift up a round of dough. Move it back and forth between your two middle fingers to stretch the center of the round quite thin without tearing it. This will be the depression for the jam.
8. Quickly drop rounds in the hot oil, depression side down—a few at a time, without crowding. Cover the pan and fry until the doughnuts are golden brown but not dark, about 30 seconds. Quickly turn them, cover the pan, and fry until the other side is golden brown, 30 seconds more. Drain the doughnuts on both sides on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining rounds of dough.
9. Fill the depressions with jam, and dust the doughnuts with confectioners’ sugar. These are best when eaten warm. They don’t keep well, but no matter. You won’t have any leftovers.

From The New Spanish Table cookbook by Anya von Bremzen

I happen to love all anchovies—the salty kind that come in tins and jars, vinegary boquerones, fresh ones fried crisp and as compulsively eatable as popcorn—but I understand this puts me in a pretty small club. That said, I’m convinced that if more people only gave anchovies a chance, they’d realize these tiny fishies don’t deserve their icky reputation.

Canned anchovies are assertive in flavor, true, but if you think of them as a seasoning rather than as something to eat straight from the tin, you may be surprised at their ability to add salt and depth to a dish without fishiness. Don’t believe me? Throw in a fillet or two (they’ll disintegrate) when you saute the onion and garlic for spaghetti sauce. If you don’t mind a bit of fishy flavor, try my favorite panino: fresh mozzarella, anchovy fillets, and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes. You’ll definitely know the anchovies are there, but they’ll be mellowed somewhat by the milky cheese.

This CATALAN GUACAMOLE, from The New Spanish Table cookbook, puts an Iberian spin on a Mexican favorite, and is a fantastic showcase for anchovies’ intense, salty goodness. Sherry vinegar adds winey complexity as well as a touch of acidity. Flavorwise, this is a complete departure from the traditional guacamole I know and love. It is something I will definitely make again, though—probably the same night I try out my new paella pan.

CATALAN GUACAMOLE
2 small garlic cloves, chopped
2 best-quality oil-packed anchovy fillets, drained and chopped
3 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 large pinch coarse salt (kosher or sea)
1 1/2 tablespoons fragrant extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar, preferably aged
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
2 small ripe Hass avocados, pitted and diced
1 small ripe plum tomato, cut in half and grated on a box grater, skin discarded
Toasted or grilled country bread, for serving

1. Place the garlic, anchovies, parsley and salt in a mortar and, using a pestle, mash them into a paste. Whisk in the olive oil, vinegar, and lemon juice. Set the dressing aside.

2. Place the avocados in a bowl and, using a fork, mash them until completely smooth. Stir in the tomato and the dressing, then taste for seasoning, adding more lemon juice as necessary. Let the spread stand for 15 to 20 minutes for the flavors to meld, then serve with toasted or grilled bread.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups