Not quite the same thing

Build a mishkan, said G-d, here are the blueprints. I have made them as detailed as possible so you won't have any problems.

Really? because these people, who don't know much about being a free people, or a civilized society, or warriors, or how to judge a new land, also have no idea how to built special stuff. Because they, like, did not spend the last 400 years building stuff for a king.

So, what? G-d doesn't know that? Sure He does. But they don't. These master builders know how to build as slaves. They know how to build for a king who is human and so is mostly interested in his own glory. They have no clue how to tell the difference between that sort of building and building as free people, for the glory of G-d. 

I believe that those super detailed instructions were intended to call their minds to the fact that this is not a pyramid. This is not to glorify a human king. This is a creation that is meant to enhance the relationship between free people and the One they have accepted as their supreme ruler. Of their own free will. For their own benefit. No oppression, no cruel supervisors, no unreasonable demands. This is a labor of love.


Just because some things look alike, doesn't mean they are alike. Take pasta sauce. We were visiting my friend Debbie on Chanukah and she served a dairy meal (either in honor of Yehudit, or out of fear of my oldest daughter; I'm not sure which.) There were salads and latkes and a pasta bar. That is, we had a bunch of pasta and a bunch of sauces and a bunch of toppings and you made your own. Which is all good and well (and fun and tasty) except the newest daughter in law cannot eat tomatoes or dairy.

Now, you have already met this girl. It was at her wedding that I had that yummy butternut squash soup and she had since had this delicious baby girl who is absolutely adorable. So I felt responsible to step in and help. Can I make a pasta sauce that will look and taste like tomato sauce but will not have any tomatoes in it?

Are you kidding? Of course I can.


Tomato-free pasta sauce

6 medium red bell peppers (get ones with nice thick flesh)
1 medium onion, chopped (3/4 cup)
3 large garlic cloves (about one tablespoon), minced
1/3 cup shallots, chopped
3 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp each: Italian seasoning, oregano, thyme
1/2 tsp kosher salt
Pinch black pepper


Broil peppers until skins char all over. Place in a covered pot until cool enough to touch. Peel peppers and keep them in a bowl so liquid collects at the bottom. You need this liquid.

Saute onion in oil over medium high heat until light brown (about 6 minutes). Add shallots and herbs and continue to saute until soft (about 3 minutes). 

Add garlic. Cook one minute. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Combine peppers, their liquid (mine had about 1/4 cup liquid) and the onion mixture in the food processor and process (scraping down the sides) until you like the consistency. You may wish to add a little broth or some pasta cooking water if you like the sauce to be less thick. But this is not a smooth sauce.

Add salt and pepper and serve over pasta.

Makes about 2 cups.




And how does it taste? Well, hubby was convinced it was regular tomato sauce. Not that it is any indication, you understand, as the man will eat anything that is standing still or even moving slowly. Still, my highly gourmet oriented daughter absolutely l-o-v-e-d it, and she's mighty picky about her veggies. It was good.