Fresh, intensely flavorful Passover recipes from different Jewish communities.

Macaroons originated in Naples, where there name, maccarone, meant “fine paste”. During the Renaissance, Catherine de Medici’s chef visited France, where he shared these confections, and started a French craze for Macaroons.

These are popular with French Jews, and Jews around the world.

• 2 cups packaged shredded coconut
• ½ cup sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 3 egg whites
• Chopped dried fruit, chocolate chips, or whole almonds for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 F. In a bowl, toss the coconut, sugar and salt. Add the egg whites and work them in with a wooden spoon to form a dough.

Take heaping teaspoons of dough and shape them into balls. Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. If desired, place a piece of garnish on top of each ball.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool for 5 minutes, then remove the macaroons to a cake rack to cool completely.

Makes about 20.

Recipe from Hip Kosher by Ronnie Fein (DaCapo 2008).