The cuisine of the Jews of Rhodes naturally included those foods that were native to the region around the island. Living among the Greeks and Turks therefore included foods such as yaprakes (dolmathes), kiftes, baklava and sootlach.
What is interesting is that the large number of Sephardic refugees from Spain also brought with them many of the foods from Spain. A number of these Spanish “comidas” (foods) included: biscochus, pastelicus, pandericas and mazipan.
Photo: ICARO ceramic plate decorated with the popular design of a “deer,” which is the symbol of Rhodes.
Sephardic traditions have been passed on to the younger generations through the interaction of parents and grandparents. On the left, “Papu” Ted Hasson is teaching his grandchildren, Rachelle and Daniel, how to form burekas. Right photo: The finished product! Meat Burekas. (click for the recipe.)
Featured in the Rhodesli Jewish Calendar (May 2011)
“Dulses”. Featured in the Rhodesli Jewish Calendar (June 2011)
November 7, 2021: Rhodeslis of Los Angeles Family Brunch meal (dulses): biscocho de huevo, baklava, curabies, mustachudos and soutlach.
November 7, 2021: Rhodeslis of Los Angeles Family Brunch meal: burekas de patata, burekas de berenjena, boyos de spinaka, quijado de spinaka.
Masapan by Leo Franco *work in progress
Daniella and Abigail making burekas de patata.
Kaye Israel and Marcia Israel Weingarten with their pastelikos recipe
Ron Vidal Hasson with grandkids, Carly and Ryan making boyos and burekas.
Abudajou (Bottarga, fish roe) by Dan Maslia. His abudajou recipe
“Folares” made for Purim by Howie Franco
Fasulia (String Beans) by Morrie Angel. His recipe from BendichasManos.com
Rachelle with grandparents, Ted and Pearle (née Benon) Hasson making boyos de spinaka.
Papu Ted with grandchildren, Amanda and Rachelle making pastelikos.
Recipe book available for download: Las Comedicas de Rodis (Sephardic Delicacies from Rhodes) by Sol Menashe
Rhodes Jewish Historical Foundation
