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Last update - 01:57 25/09/2006 Holiday recipe: Just plum delicious By Ehud Ein-Gil These plum dumplings were my father's favorite food from his childhood in Vienna, and the recipe eventually was handed down from his mother to mine. On the appointed day, we tried to eat little, to "save room." A large pile of dumplings would be set down on the table. They were coated with sugared breadcrumbs and saturated with the plum juice from inside. At the end of the meal, everyone had an impressive pile of pits on his plate. Not once were there any leftovers. One time, a couple with whom my parents were friendly were invited over for the occasion, and the woman asked my mother for the recipe. A while later we were invited to their house for a meal. On the table in the living room, plates of the first courses awaited, while the hostess fiddled a little longer in the kitchen with the dumplings. The Santa Rosa season was already past, and she used substitutes. Under her watchful eye we did our best to show that we were enjoying the dumplings, but they were hard to swallow. The dough was simply inedible. My father withstood the test with dignity. I surreptitiously rolled my dumplings under the sofa. My mother, I found out afterward, was even cleverer: She stealthily crammed her dumplings into half-pitas and took advantage of a brief absence by the hostess to toss them in the garbage. Over the years, we, too, have had to make do with substitutes. The Santa Rosa plums that are juicy, dark on the outside and red on the inside have vanished from the market, along with their unique, sweet yet slightly sour taste. Advertisement Dr. Doron Holland, of the Neveh Ya'ar research center, confirms this: The plums sold today under the name Santa Rosa have no connection to the real thing. The genuine variety was not convenient to grow because of the "problematic" nature of the crop and the short shelf life of the fruit, and it was gradually replaced with hardier, more reliable, species. In a special plot at Neveh Ya'ar, just to be on the safe side, ancient species are preserved, including a few Santa Rosa trees. You can come and see them, but you won't get a taste. The fruit's season has just ended. Is there any chance for a real Santa Rosa revival? Not in the near future. Dr. Holland is currently working on developing a tastier species of apricot, but plums are not in the plans. That leaves us with no choice, but to rely on substitutes in this recipe by Tova Engel. Makes 10-12 dumplings. 1/2 kilo unpeeled potatoes, boiled 1 cup flour 1 egg 50 gr. butter-flavored margarine a pinch of salt 10-12 juicy red plums The coating: 100 gr. margarine 1 cup breadcrumbs 2 tbsp. sugar powdered sugar for sprinkling Boil the unpeeled potatoes in salted water for about half an hour, until they soften. Peel them under the kitchen tap while they're still hot. Mash the potatoes until smooth (it's important not to leave lumps), adding the margarine while mashing. Rinse and dry off the plums. Take a heaping spoonful of the dough and flatten it on your palm. Place a plum in the center and wrap it in the dough (work with floured hands). Repeat the process with the rest of the plums. In a large pot, boil a large quantity of water with 1 tsp. salt. When the water is boiling, gently slip the dumplings into the pot, and lift them gently off the bottom with a slotted spoon, so they won't stick. Once the water returns to a boil, let the dumplings cook for 10 minutes over a medium flame. Meanwhile, melt the margarine in a large skillet. Add the breadcrumbs, saute a little and then add 2 tbsp. sugar (2-3 minutes of frying altogether). Spread a layer of breadcrumbs in a serving dish, remove the dumplings from the water with a slotted spoon, drain, and place them atop the crumbs. Then sprinkle the rest of the breadcrumbs over the dumplings. You may sprinkle powdered sugar on top, or else bring it to the table, for each person to add as he or she likes. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Death penalty Iran hands down death sentence to man who spied for Israel. Robot hospital The place where IDF treats droids wounded in the line of fire.   1.   Mystery of Santa Rosa Plums Solved 21:35  |  david 25/09/06   2.   plum dumplings 21:50  |  Eleonora 25/09/06   3.   To No. 2 Plum dunplings 22:59  |  JD 25/09/06   4.   Plum Dumplings 01:37  |  Shoshi Lipson 04/10/06

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