Phoebe Lapine

The highlights of the family meal were always the many chairs added year after year to make up for the new additions to the table; my undefeated record with the afikomen; cousin Holly’s Chocolate Chip Macaroons; and my aunt’s brisket, which we would all be hankering for after two hours of bitter herbs, hard-boiled eggs, and plagues. Passover has always been one of my favorite Jewish holidays, but in college, I couldn’t always make it back to CT to Aunt Jenn’s. It felt a little strange to deviate from my aunt’s famous dish, but I managed to fill the buffet table with a respectable, if not, entirely perfect, slab of soft, slow-cooked meat thanks to the goyim influence of Mr. Emeril Lagasse. So I thought it was the perfect opportunity to resurrect my recipe that was once a staple on my old blog, Big Girls Small Kitchen.

Especially since many people with digestive issues have trouble with raw salads, I love finding new ways to honor these ingredients in cooked dishes like this sausage pasta bake. But for this version, I took it a step further to make it gluten-free, low-fodmap optional and mostly dairy-free (none of which were considerations in my early twenties!). But if you’re open to a small (low FODMAP) quantity of shredded cheese on top, that of course tips the hedonism scales a little more. I will say though that the flavor combination of slightly bitter, wilted greens and salty, umami rich deli meats (I shall throw bacon, prosciutto and salami in as options, too)—doesn’t get more classic.

I can confirm that this is a practice that began with Jamie’s book, because to this day, there is a small faded paper tab on the recipe for Fantastic Fish Pie. Which is how he found himself a few weeks ago making Jamie Oliver’s fish pie recipe. When I tried to make it myself recently, I tweaked the instructions to reduce the number of pots and pans used, replaced the heavy cream with coconut cream, omitted the cheese, and added a higher volume of vegetables to the base. Though my hall passes have evolved over the years, this fish pie recipe is proof that my heart still burns for Jamie as much now as ever.

Like a fool, I had a full week of meetings and interviews scheduled for my book, not realizing that I would look like a chipmunk and barely be able to open my mouth for 24 hours. Below I’ve put together some liquid foods that will fit the bill in the early days following wisdom teeth removal (or any tooth extraction) and some softer things that you can transition to as you heal. I’ve included recipes from my archives where applicable, but definitely modify according to the general advice above (omit anything crunchy or par-cooked veggies you’re not ready for) and still to the bare bones of the recipe: Oatmeal made with plant-based milk – cook it a little longer than you would normally and add some extra liquid Ramen or Vietnamese pho: so long as you avoid spice packets that are too hot, a gingery ramen or pho would be a great way to get some bone broth and simple soft carbs into your system.