Haroset (Charoset, Hasrut, Halegh)

HAROSET, or how it is called in Baku – “HASRUT”, is a sweet and delicious Passover (Pesach) snack made of fruit and nuts. The word “haroset” comes from the Hebrew word “cheres,” which means “clay.” Its color and paste-like, thick consistency symbolizes the mortar the Jews had to prepare when they were enslaved in ancient Egypt, while its sweetness represents the joy of their freedom. The tradition of eating haroset dates back at least 1,500 years, and it is eaten on matzo during the seder meal.
There are many recipes for Haroset, but Baku-style Hasrut is a very simple and easy to make.

*A full-sized picture of Passover plate is available in the Gallery.

Ingredients for 8-10 small servings:
Cup size is 250 ml
4 large sweet red apples
1 cup walnuts
1 cup black raisins
2 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons sweet red wine (or more to your taste)
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation:

Peel and core the apples.
Grind in a meat grinder (or food processor) the following: raisins, then walnuts, and then apples. (Don’t grind them at the same time, only one by one.) If the apples are too juicy, pour out the juice from the grinder.

Mix all the ingredients well (including honey, wine and cinnamon) and form the mass into portion-size shapes, either diamond-shaped like Pakhlava (shown on the picture), or simply balls.

Arrange them on the pieces of matzo and serve immediately, or refrigerate for up to two days.
If serving to children, use grape juice instead of wine.

Happy Passover! Enjoy!

This post is also available in: Russian