“Hamin” is a dish that came to be in order to solve a religious practice. The Jewish laws of observing the Sabbath, the day of rest, forbid cooking during this day. In order to still have a warm meal during Shabbat, the solution was simple: place the food in the oven on Friday evening, and let it cook slowly overnight on very low heat, until needed.
Every Jewish community around the world has a version of this dish, using local ingredients and seasonings. In Eastern Europe, it was also called “Cholent”, and consisted of beef, beans and barley. Iraqi Jews used chicken with rice and tomatoes, while in North Africa lamb and chickpeas were the main ingredients, and the list goes on and on.
All these versions are hearty and tasty, but also fairly heavy. The much lighter version I have here, originated by Sephardic Jews, in the Jewish Quarter of the old part of Jerusalem, where Jews from all descents influenced each other and created a unique cuisine.
The dish consists of very few ingredients: chicken, potatoes, onions and pasta. It is very easy to prepare, and once you place the pot in the oven – against all culinary logic – all that is needed is to wait patiently for it to cook.
Once you’ll take the pot out of the oven, you’ll be amazed by the how these humble ingredients were transformed during the time in the oven, creating this tasty special dish. The chicken falls off the bones, with intense flavor and color; the pasta turns brownish, with a slight sweetness, as the sugars in it, and from the onion, caramelized slowly; the eggs and potatoes also get a special deep golden-brown color and unique nutty flavor. All these together create a hearty and comforting meal. This is a great dish to make on a cold winter weekend. Try it and enjoy.
Notes:
* The eggs cooked this way are called “huevos haminados” (i.e. eggs cooked in Hamin) in Ladino (the Judeo-Spanish) and are considered a delicacy on their own. They are sometimes cooked separately, to be served with dairy pastries such as the Burekitas (a recipe for which can be found HERE ) for the Shabbat brunch.
* In some versions of the dish, spices and tomato paste are also added. I prefer this original minimalist version, but feel free to experiment according to your taste.
* For more information about Sephardic cuisine, check HERE.
Makes: 4-6
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Baking time: at least 8 hours, and up to 12
Ingredients:
4 L eggs
1 package (12 oz/340 grams) Bucatini pasta
1 Tbs salt
1 tsp freshly ground four peppers mix
4 medium chicken thighs, bone in, skin on, preferably air chilled
2 Tbs light olive oil
1 large white onion, roughly diced
½ tsp sugar
4 medium red potatoes, peeled and sliced thick
1 cup boiling water
1. Preheat the oven to 210F (99C). Place the eggs in a small pot, cover with water, bring to the boil and cook for 5 minutes. Drain and keep aside.
2. In a large pot, bring plenty of lightly salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook 2 minutes less that the directions on the package specify. Drain, place in a large bowl and keep aside.
3. Pat-dry the chicken and season with a bit of the salt and pepper. Heat 1 Tbs of the oil in a wide flat pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs, skin side down, and fry for 3-4 minutes until golden. Turn and fry for 2-3 minutes. Take out and keep in a warm place.
4. Add the remaining oil and onion to the pot, season with more of the salt and pepper, and the sugar. Mix and sauté for 2-3 minutes, until the onion softens and starts to brown a bit. Transfer most of it (keeping a bit of the oil and fried onions in the pot) to the bowl with the cooked pasta, and mix well. Season with the rest of salt and pepper, and taste to adjust seasoning.
5. Arrange the potato slices in the pot, in one layer. Add half of the pasta on top and arrange the chicken, with its juices, and eggs, over it. Arrange the rest of the pasta on top. Pour the boiling water into the bowl in which the pasta was, swirl it and pour into the pot.
6. Place a circle of baking paper on top, and then cover tightly with the pot cover. Place in the oven, and bake for at least 8 hours, and up to 12.
7. To serve, peel the eggs, cut in half and season with salt and pepper. Place the pasta (the top part has denser texture, while the lower has softer one, so keep them side by side, so each guest can choose the type they like) on a warm large serving plate. Add the chicken, potatoes and eggs on the side and serve.
Back in the early 60’s, we rented a house that had a super-insulated gas stove/oven in it. Miraculously the manual was still available somehow, and it told how to roast a turkey overnight similar to what you are describing. The turkey was really special. That nifty stove/oven saw us through some major hurricane power outages in Miami back then.
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How interesting! I’ve never tried cooking turkey this way. Thanks for the idea! 🙂
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Brings back memories for me. 🌟✨💫
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I am really looking forward to trying this! I may try doing it with some Persian flavoring.
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Thank you Andrea, I’m glad you liked the recipe. Looking forward to seeing your version! 🙂
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Looks fantastic!
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Thank you Charlie, I’m glad you liked this tasty dish. 🙂
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Very interesting. Thanks for sharing!
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Thank you Luisella, I’m glad you liked the post. It’s my pleasure to share. 🙂
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Here is another recipe I am going to try!… thanks for sharing…
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I’m glad you liked the recipe. It definitely suits the “weird” category! 🙂
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What a unique and unusual recipe. I appreciate the history of these dishes, and the version you offer here looks delicious indeed! One of those things that doesn’t sound like it would work, but obviously is remarkable in the transformation that happens.
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Thank you Dorothy, I’m glad you liked the recipe. It is indeed so unique and its history is fascinating. Every time I make it, I’m amazed by the transformation of the ingredients. 🙂
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Thank you so much for sharing!
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My pleasure! 🙂
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Wonderful share dear Ronit!! slow cooking at its best…The flavours must be just amazing.
This method of cooking reminds me of a Moroccan chicken that i bake once in a way in a Tagine..
Thanks for this wonderful recipe:)
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Thank you Shy, I’m glad you liked the dish. It was so tasty and special.
The cooking method is indeed quite similar to that of Tajine dishes. Both are so suitable for winter. 🙂
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Thanks for sharing some history of this interesting dish – looks good but were the eggs cooked too much. I’m sure it was still tasty!
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Thank you Judi, I’m glad you liked the post. The eggs are actually meant to be cooked this way. Unlike overcooked “regular” eggs, they end up with a very pleasant smell and unique flavor after the lengthy cooking. They are considered a delicacy by many, but it’s definitely a matter of taste. 🙂
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Slow-cooking with history. Kudos! 🌟✨💫
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Thank you Gail. The history of this dish is fascinating. Slow cooking at its best. 🙂
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Never heard of hamin with pasta! looks really good!
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It really works against common culinary logic, but it works! It used to be a Jerusalem specialty, but by now much more known in other parts of Israel. 🙂
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A lovely sounding dish which defies all logic as many old traditional recipes do… it sounds amazing, Ronit and served with a dose of the history…Thank you so much for sharing 🙂 x
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Thank you Carol, I’m glad you liked the dish, and found its history interesting.
You’re so right, a lot of such old traditional recipes defy all culinary logic, yet work so well! 🙂
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This recipe sounds absolutely delicious. I like to slow cook some dishes and this really sounds wonderful. But, I shall have to wait till Winter – too hot at the moment.
Thanks Ronit for an intriguing recipe. :))
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Thank you Mary, I’m glad you liked the dish. It’s so unique and tasty, but definitely works better on a cold day. Enjoy your summer! 🙂
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looks delicious!!! Necessity if the mother of creativity. Great recipe
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Thank you Matteo, I’m glad you liked the dish. It is so tasty and unique. Necessity is indeed a great trigger for creativity! 🙂
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Fascinating! I love the back story! The recipe sounds wonderful. Definitely simple ingredients.
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Thank you Mimi, I’m glad you liked the dish and its history. This way of cooking elevates the simple ingredients to another level. 🙂
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Such an interesting dish, it must taste delicious. I love how it looks, all nice and golden.
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Thank you Myra, I’m glad you liked the dish. It has such a unique flavor, and the color transformation of the ingredients is fascinating. 🙂
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Interesting recipe
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Thank you Syamala. 🙂
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Ronit, it’s good to be back in the blogosphere and especially good to visit and find this intriguing recipe. With a few minor changes (to lower the fat) I’t will be made and on our table soon. I’m fascinated by the dish as well, but especially the eggs.
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Thank you Ron, nice to see you back!
This recipe is so unique, and I hope you’ll enjoy it. Do try not to cut too much on fat (which, relatively speaking, is a fairly small amount), as otherwise there’s a chance that the dish will dry out. Looking forward to seeing your version. 🙂
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The history behind the dish is every bit as interesting as the meal itself.
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Thank you Karen, I’m glad you found the post interesting. This dish is so unique and tasty. 🙂
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What a wonderful idea! I can imagine how nice it must be!
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Thank you Aletta, I’m glad you liked the dish. It is so special and tasty. 🙂
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👍
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Very interesting recipe and it sounds so attractive 😍
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Thank you Suni, I’m glad you liked the dish. 🙂
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Wow Ronit
What a delicious recipe
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Thank you Tina. The dish was really delicious. 🙂
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Interesting and looking delicious.
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Thank you Paul! 🙂
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This sounds absolutely delicious thanks for sharing 😍
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Thank you, I’m glad you liked the dish. It’s very unique and tasty. Happy to share! 🙂
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I’m always interested in recipes arises out of necessity!
Will try this dish with spices, as Andrea already commented!
Felix
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Thank you Felix, I’m glad you’ve found the recipe interesting. It would be interesting to see your take on this traditional dish. 🙂
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Thank you for mentioning “cholent.” I had it a long time ago at a Jewish friend’s house and I loved it! I am no longer in touch with the friend and I forgot the name of the dish. Now I know what it is again after reading your post!
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Thank you Leah, I’m glad you liked the post, and that it brought back such tasty memories. This dish is comfort food at its best! 🙂
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Sounds fantastic. Could you do this in a slow cooker?
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Thank you, I’m glad you liked the recipe.
I’ve never tried using slow cooker for this, but I think it can work well. I hope it helps, and hope you’ll enjoy this unique dish. 🙂
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