Toasted Bagel with Handcrafted Cream Cheese and Anchovies
A coming together of Ashkenazi and Sephardic culinary traditions
With the holiday of Shavuot coming up in a few weeks, I’ve had the Jewish tradition of eating dairy foods and fish on my mind. I’m not sure exactly what led me to put this powerfully tasty combo together now, but I’m glad I did—it’s delicious!
Like most things I enjoy making, this one’s super simple. It reflects both the cuisine of the Sephardic Jewish Mediterranean and the foods of the Ashkenazi Jewish community of Northern and Eastern Europe.
To make it, I started with one of the Bakehouse’s lovely Sesame Street Bagels, but take your pick; they’ll all be good. Toast until golden brown, then drizzle generously with one of our more delicate extra virgin olive oils—I’ve long loved the ROI oil from the Boeri family in the region of Liguria, the Italian Riviera.
Spread some room-temperature world-class Zingerman’s Cream Cheese on the still-warm bagel. Lay on some really good anchovies—as many as you like. I used the outstanding ones we get from Ortiz, from the Cantabrian Sea off the north coast of the Spanish Basque Country. I also love the anchovies from Fishwife, which hail from Spain as well but via California.
Grind on fresh black pepper and add any more vegetables you want: the pipparras pickled peppers from Spain, a couple of tomato slivers in season.
The warmth of the toasted bagel softens the cream cheese, and the creaminess of the cheese contrasts beautifully with the salty, meaty, umami tang of the anchovies. And when I think about it all culturally, I love that it’s a great coming together of the two main streams of Jewish culture in exile: the olive oil, anchovies, and herbs or capers from the Sephardic tradition, and the bagel and cream cheese from the Ashkenazi!
