Arielle Nir Cooks Up Classic Jewish Recipes for a New Generation

GOLDA Gang,

I love hearing how much our podcast GOLDA Girls has been striking a chord with you, particularly our recent conversations about the High Holidays. We got real about the behind-the-scenes stress of holiday logistics and hosting, and the challenges of fasting while parenting, which seem to be things we’re all feeling but no one is actually talking about. We also talk about the joyful parts of the High Holiday season, and embracing the opportunity for a fresh start. Our tagline is a podcast for Jewish women with a lot to say, and I’m so glad so many of you are feeling heard. 

From a listener in Michigan: “Your podcast is the spark of Jewish joy, friendship, and girlhood I need at the end of the week.” 

And this, from Cleveland: “I may not be exactly your target audience, being a man… so perhaps GOLDA Girls is a podcast for Jewish women with a lot to say—and everyone who loves to talk with them.”

If you're not listening yet, you can check out GOLDA Girls on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. I can’t wait to hear what you think.

On this week’s episode, titled “2 Break-Fast 2 Furious”—which I’ll never not be proud of—my co-hosts Esther Chehebar and Rabbi Diana Fersko and I welcomed chef and recipe developer Arielle Nir as our guest. Arielle modernizes the Persian, Moroccan, and Israeli recipes she grew up with (and the Syrian recipes she married into) for a generation without a lot of time or patience in the kitchen. Her recipes and videos have clearly resonated: she has over 200,000 followers on Instagram.

Making Jewish culture and tradition relevant and accessible is the name of the game here at GOLDA, so I loved getting the chance to talk to Arielle about how she does it through food. (I recommend subscribing to her Substack for more.) We also talked about Sukkot, which is one of those holidays that's either completely second nature (of course we build a sukkah and sit in it all week!) or something you haven't really thought about since you were a kid. Arielle shared two Sukkot recipes that pick up on the holiday custom of stuffed foods and incorporate seasonal ingredients: Her Stuffed Grape Leaf Pie with Beef, Rice, and Herbs and Spiced Apple Phyllo Pie. 

Esther recently made the Stuffed Grape Leaf Pie (the crust acts as the grape leaf, so you there’s no individual rolling) and confirms it’s not only doable but also delicious. You can find both recipes at the bottom of this email.

Last year for Sukkot I headed to the Union Square Greenmarket with Chef Mushka—aka Mushka in the Market—to learn how the fall harvest holiday lent itself perfectly to cooking with fresh seasonal produce. It was one of our first GOLDA videos (we didn’t even have our pink mics yet!) and such a fun time.

October 14, 2026 — New York City + virtual: I’ll be in conversation with one of my favorite people, Matti Friedman, at 92NY (in-person and streaming); tickets here.

October 19, 2026 — New York City: I’ll be interviewing the fabulous Rabbi Rachel Ain for the launch of her book, Watch How You Go: Jewish Wisdom for Your Journey Ahead at Sutton Place Synagogue; register here.

Check out all our upcoming events here.

Want to bring me or GOLDA to your community? Get in touch at [email protected] to learn about my event moderating plus our signature shoppable salons, curated conversations, and more.

I’m currently obsessed with:

Stay GOLDA,

Stephanie

GOLDA may earn a few shekels from any purchases made from links in this newsletter.

Stuffed Grape Leaf Pie with Beef, Rice, and Herbs

Serves 6-8

For the pie: 

For the sauce: 

Preheat the oven to 325°F. 

Make the filling: into a large bowl, place the rice, beef, scallions, parsley, cilantro, dill,  mint, pine nuts, lemon zest and juice, pomegranate concentrate, allspice, 1½ teaspoons salt, freshly ground black pepper, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Use your hands or a wooden spoon to mix all the ingredients until they are all combined well. 

Take a large piece of parchment paper (about 12 inches long) and run it under some  water and scrunch it up in your hands. Open the paper and lay it onto the bottom of a  12 inch circular baking pan or heavy bottomed skillet with a lid. 

Assemble the pie: drizzle 1 teaspoon of olive oil onto the parchment paper and lay a  grape leave down in the center of the pan, vein side up. Continue laying grape leaves  along the bottom of the pot in one layer and add a row of grape leaves along the edge  of the pot so that the leaves hang over the edge of the pot (this will help seal the pie). 

Repeat, placing another layer of grape leaves over the first. Depending on the brand of grape leaves that you use, you will need about 10-15 grape leaves per layer. 

Add the beef and rice filling onto the grape leaves and use a spoon to spread the filling  all over the pot and into the bottom edges of the pot. Pour ¼ cup of water over the  filling. 

Now, place a grape leaf vine side down over the filling. Add enough grape leaves to  cover the top of the filling (about 4-6 grape leaves). Use your hands to tightly fold the  grape leaves that overhang out of the pot, over and onto the grape leaf pie. Add 3-6  grape leaves (vine side up) in one layer on top to seal everything. Use your hand to  press the pie down a bit and make sure everything is sealed. 

Pour the sauce components over the grape leaf pie including the lemon juice,  pomegranate concentrate, olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, freshly ground black pepper, and  1 cup of water or enough to cover the grape leaf pie ¾ the way up. Place an oven proof  plate that fits into the pot on top (this will make sure the grape leaf pie holds its shape  during cooking). Cover the pot with the lid or if you don’t have a matching lid, cover  with aluminum foil and place it into the oven. 

Cook for 2 hours or until the grape leaf pie absorbed the liquid and the filling is  completely cooked through and tender. 

Let the cake cool to room temperature. 

Remove the lid, and place an ovenproof serving platter over the pan. Carefully flip the  grape leaf pie onto the serving platter. Cut the pie into 8-12 equal triangular pieces.  Reheat the pie uncovered in a 350°F oven for 15 minutes or until hot. 

Garnish the pie with pine nuts and any herbs you have on hand and serve. 

To make the pie 1 day ahead: Refrigerate the cooked grape leaf pie covered until the  next day. Once ready to serve, bring the pie up to room temperature. Uncover the pie  and place a large oven safe platter on top. Carefully flip the pie out of the pan and onto  the platter. Use a sharp knife to cup the pie up into equal triangular pieces (about 8-12  pieces). Reheat in a 350°F oven for 15 minutes or until hot.  

To make the pie 2 days ahead or more: Cover the cooked pie in the pan and freeze it.  Once ready to serve, bring the pie up to room temperature. Uncover the pot or pan and  place a large oven safe platter on top. Carefully flip the pie out of the pan and onto the  platter. Use a sharp knife to cut the pie up into equal triangular pieces. Reheat in a  350°F oven for 15 minutes or until hot. 

Spiced Apple Phyllo Pie

Preheat the oven to 400°F. 

Line a 12 inch pie pan with parchment paper. 

Take a handful of the grated apples and squeeze all the excess juice into a bowl, place  the squeezed apples into a separate bowl. Repeat squeezing the juice out of the  remaining grated apples. Discard the apple juice or enjoy it separately. 

Place a skillet over medium high heat and add the apples, sugar, cardamom,  cinnamon, and cornstarch. Cook, mixing the apples often, until their juices have  evaporated and the apples have softened, about 5-8 minutes. 

Transfer the apples onto a heatproof bowl and let it cool for 5 minutes. 

Lay two stacked sheets of phyllo dough horizontally in front of you. Spray the oil over  the dough and add 3 tablespoons of the apple filling onto the bottom edge of the  phyllo. Shape the apples into a log along the edge of the phyllo. Roll the phyllo over the  apple and into a log. Place the log of phyllo into the side edge of the baking pan.  Repeat forming phyllo dough logs stuffed with apples and fill up the pie pan in a spiral  shape. Spray the top of the pie with a bit more oil and transfer into the oven. 

Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes or until the phyllo is golden brown and flakey. 

Lift up the pie with the parchment paper and place it onto a serving platter. Dust the pie  with the powdered sugar and serve hot. Enjoy!

Recipes courtesy our cooking queen Arielle Nir.