Title: Rodanchas (Eggplant Snails)
Categories: Jewish Greek Israel Appetizer
Yield: 20 Appetizers

2	lb	Large (abt 2) eggplant
1/2	lb	Feta cheese, chopped or crumbled
1	md	Potato, peeled, quartered, cooked, and mashed
1/4	ts	Pepper
1/8	ts	Nutmeg, grated
3		Eggs
		Fillo sheets, all purpose, 12x17-ins
		Corn oil
VARIATION FOR ROSH
HASHANNAH
2	lb	Pumpkin, peeled and cut into 1-in cubes
1/4	ts	Salt
3/4	c	Sugar
1/2	c	Honey
1	tb	Cinnamon, ground
3	tb	Walnuts, chopped

Fillo dough sheets are quintessential Greek wrappers, regardless of religious community. In years past, fillo was prepared by hand in enormous sheets stretched out to thinnest possible thickness. Now it is commercially available everywhere, but especially in middle eastern groceries. This Jewish recipe is from Salonika.

1. Broil eggplants under a gas or electric broiler for about 15 minutes to char skin and soften pulp. Turn them now and then so they are quickly and uniformly baked. Cool, then peel and discard the skin. Let pulp drain in a colander and gently press out liquid. Then chop coarsely.

2. Mix eggplant, cheese, potato, pepper, nutmeg, and 1 egg at a time to a smooth filling.

3. Cut a number of sheets of fillo lengthwise into halves. Brush each half lightly with oil. Put about 2 tablespoons of filling mixture along length of oiled fillo sheet and roll it away from yourself in a long tube. Pinch ends closed. Turn tube around on itself like a snail so that rodanchas are about 4-inches in diameter. Brush top of each snail with oil.

4. Put snails on a lightly oiled baking sheet and bake in a preheated 350F oven for 20 minutes, or until brown and crisp.

Serve warm as a snack or appetizer with ouzo, anise-flavored Greek drink. Makes about 20 snails.

VARIATION FOR ROSH HASHANNAH: To usher in New Year this sweet rodancha is prepared in Salonika.

1. Rinse pumpkin pieces and put them into a dry pan with salt and only water that clings to pumpkin. Cover pan and simmer over low heat for about 1/2 hour, or until soft. The liquid must evaporate.

2. Add sugar and honey, mix well and continue to simmer until the mixture is dry and comes away from pan. Add cinnamon and walnuts; mix. Remove from heat and cool. Prepare snails with fillo as with eggplant mixture.

Recipe: "Sephardic Cooking" by Copeland Mark -- 600 Recipes Created in Exotic Sephardic Kitchens from Morocco to India -- Copyright 1992 Published by Donald I. Fine, Inc., New York, N.Y. D. Pileggi

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