Moshe Ba'tayva
Passover, which starts Wednesday night, has a story involving the infant Moses set afloat in a date-frond basket on the Nile River. Medjool are very large dates, usually found in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food stores, that should be tender to the touch and slightly moist inside; other dates may be substituted. The marzipan can also be used to stuff apricots or placed between pecan halves. The vanilla extract and confectioner's sugar used should be kosher for Passover if you intend to serve these at a Seder or during the holiday; Ashkenazim shuld check that the sugar does not contain kitniyot.

Moshe Ba'tayva (Moses in the Basket) -- Dates Stuffed with Homemade Marzipan

14-16 large Medjool dates

Marzipan:
3 1/2 ounces (100 grams, or a slightly rounded cup) slivered or whole blanched almonds, ground
3 1/2 ounces (100 grams or 2/3 cup) confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
A few drops rosewater or almond extract
1-2 teaspoons hot water

For garnish:
1/4 cup crushed toasted unsalted pistachio nuts
Coriander seeds or mustard seeds
Cloves

Use a sharp pointed knife to slit the dates lengthwise, and remove the pits. Set aside.

Grind the almonds in a food processor to a powder consistency. Add the sugar, and with the machine running, add the vanilla, rosewater and 1 teaspoon hot water. The mixture should come together like a ball. If not, add another 1-2 teaspoon water, but be careful not to add too much or the marzipan will be too soft.

For each little Moshe, make a small ball of marzipan for the head, and an elongated oval-shaped piece for the body. (The total length of both together should be slightly smaller than the length of a date).

Roll the "body" in the crushed pistachio nuts (to add color and to represent the "bunting"). Attach the head to the body and stick in one of the dates, gently pressing the sides of the date around him to make him snug. Round the top and the bottom with a gentle pinch, like a little boat.

To make the eyes, use the tip of a whole clove to pierce 2 holes in the "head." You can use cloves for the eyes themselves, but be careful to remove them before eating. Otherwise, stick a coriander seed in each hole (these are both edible and healthy), and Moshe is ready to float to his destiny.