RuhamaFoods’ Oven-baked Schnitzel, made by yours truly, the Accidental Balabusta. (photo by Shelley Civkin)
There has recently been some heated debate (in my living room) over what can accurately be called the national food of Israel. Family would claim it’s falafel. Outsiders would say hummus. Personally, I believe it’s chicken schnitzel. Or, as the Israelis call it: kreezpy schnitzel (heavy on the elongated “ee” sound and the “z”). Whatever you call it or however you pronounce it, it’s undeniably a culinary staple everywhere you go in Israel. Often accompanied by silky mashed potatoes and a fresh salad, there’s nothing quite like it.
Much as I love schnitzel, I detest the thought of frying food in two inches of oil. So, when I discovered a recipe for oven-baked schnitzel – on Instagram, of course – I jumped on it. There’s a popular Israeli-American content creator by the name of Ruhama Shitrit, who shares authentic Middle Eastern recipes on various social media platforms, through her brand, RuhamasFood. Her recipes are a mix of traditional and modern Mediterranean food, with marked Iraqi and Moroccan influences. Easy-to-follow and pretty much foolproof, you can’t go wrong with anything from Ruhama. Trying out her recipes, however, there was a non-schnitzel-specific learning curve for me, since I was unfamiliar with spices like ras el hanout and sumac. But I caught on pretty quickly.
Long story short (maybe not so short), I mentioned to my husband that I was thinking of making chicken schnitzel and he practically wet himself, he was so excited. And, even though I overcooked it slightly, the schnitzel was a solid eight out of 10. (I’m still getting used to my new oven, having discovered that it underheats by 10 to 15 degrees, so I always bump up the temp a bit.)
Formerly known to my friends and family as “the water-burner,” I have, to everyone’s astonishment, turned into Donna Reed. All I’m missing is the poodle skirt and kitten heels. Oh, and pearls. Now, with my dream kitchen, I love to cook and bake. Every. Single. Day. Harvey keeps saying, “Where did you hide my wife?” Not that he’s unhappy with Shelley version 2.0. His excitement when I produce a beautiful meal or “the world’s best cookies” keeps me pumped up and eager to keep on preheating that oven.
OK, OK, wait no longer. Coming to you live and direct from the Accidental Balabusta, is the one and only Oven-baked Schnitzel by Ruhama.
OVEN-BAKED SCHNITZEL
2 lbs of thin chicken breast cutlets
2 eggs
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp honey
juice from 1/2 lemon
2 minced garlic cloves
2 tbsp olive oil
for breadcrumb mixture:
1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup sesame seeds
for the baking pan:
6 tbsp olive oil
olive oil or avocado oil spray
1. Preheat the oven to 420˚F.
2. Using a mallet, pound out the chicken breast cutlets to about quarter-inch thickness (between two pieces of plastic wrap).
3. In a large bowl, put the eggs and all the spices and whisk them well.
4. Add the chicken cutlets and mix them really well so all the pieces are covered.
5. Coat each chicken cutlet with the breadcrumb mixture on both sides.
6. On a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, drizzle three tablespoons of olive oil.
7. Place the chicken cutlets on the baking sheet in one layer.
8. Drizzle three tablespoons of olive oil on top of the chicken cutlets.
9. Bake for 15 minutes, then flip them over and bake for 10 more minutes.
10. Spray the top of the cutlets with olive oil or avocado oil and transfer them to a convection broil at 450˚F for seven to eight minutes to get a nice golden colour.
I didn’t do this last step because I accidentally over-heated my oven to start with, so my schnitzels were already crispy (and overcooked) – but still plenty delicious, according to Harvey, the arbiter of all-things food-related. I know I can do better next time, now that I’m on a first-name basis with my finicky new oven. Life is trial and error, after all.
Plate the schnitzel with some lemon wedges and a side of mashed potatoes, rice, couscous or pasta, and you’ve got yourself a winner. Like they say, “Winner, winner, schnitzel dinner.”
I’m not a particularly intuitive cook, so I need the guidance of a seasoned cook to help me pair different spices with chicken, beef or fish. Left to my own devices, everything would be seasoned with salt, pepper and lemon juice, maybe a pinch of paprika. Until a couple of years ago, I’d never even used cumin, coriander or smoked paprika. But retirement, a big kitchen and lots of time on my hands has turned me into an inquisitive and relatively decent cook and baker (relatively being the operative word). I even bake challah buns when I have a few extra hours on my hands.
This is a revelation that Harvey is still attempting to wrap his head around. All he has to do is say the word cookie, and I’ve donned my apron and turned on the oven! I’m the culinary equivalent of Pavlov’s dog. I’ve been on a roll for the last couple of months, so my freezer is jammed to the hilt with cookies, muffins and soups. I’m like a Jewish survivalist. A family of four could live off my freezer for weeks, easy. No guns allowed.
My next culinary adventure might just be lamb kofta kebabs or maybe sheet pan kebab laffa. It’s like someone cast a spell on me and turned me into a fearless kitchen warrior. Six months ago, I’d never even heard the words laffa or kofta. Now, I’m throwing them around like I was born in the Middle East! Until recently, I thought laffa was something you scrub yourself with in the shower, and Benylin was something you take for a kofta. But, thanks to YouTube, Instagram and Pinterest, I have expanded my culinary vocabulary – and skills. The flip side is that I seriously must look into a 12-step program for social media addiction. You know you’re in trouble when you carry your smartphone or tablet into the bathroom with you, so that you don’t miss anything while, you know. Classic case of FOMO.
That being said, where would I be without these resources? I’d probably be eating Kraft Dinner and tuna noodle casserole. Alone. In the dark. While I’m definitely a slave to my e-devices, I do have to acknowledge their major role in my Accidental Balabusta journey. And, for that I am grateful. So is Harvey. Until next time. B’teavon.
Shelley Civkin, aka the Accidental Balabusta, is a happily retired librarian and communications officer. For 17 years, she wrote a weekly book review column for the Richmond Review. She’s currently a freelance writer and volunteer.