An Israeli Shavuot Food/Craft

Fun and delicious – make them with friends or children!

One of the best ways Israelis enjoy celebrating Shavuot in Israel is to prepare tene bikkurim, a basket filled with greens, fruit and other treats, which symbolizes the first yield of the agricultural year. Children in Israel participate in parades wearing white clothing, each one carrying their own tene. Here’s an idea from Israel Deputy Consul General Gideon Lustig to prepare a tene hors d’oeuvres to enjoy at your holiday table.

First Fruits (Tene Bikkurim) Hors D’Oeuvres
Using a cupcake tray, bake kataifi dough (shredded filo dough) in the shape of small baskets (follow baking instructions on the package). It is recommended to lightly spray some oil on the dough before baking it. Leave out the pan to cool before gently removing the baskets.

Fill in the baskets with one of the following recommended fillings:

1)labaneh cheese decorated with zatar and a green olive

2)Using your hands, shape goat’s cheese into small balls. Roll each ball in one of the following spices to create a colorful variety of tastes; diced chives, black pepper, paprika, purple tzumak.

3) Using a piping bag, fill the pastry baskets with a mixture of guacamole and pesto. Decorate with parsley leaves and thinly sliced lemon.