Passover begins on Monday evening, commemorating the flight of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt. After recounting this Exodus, it’s traditional to enjoy a beautiful holiday meal. During the eight-day observance, a gentile cook like me can find it a bit tricky to exclude chametz (leavened grain, so any food or drink that contains even a trace of wheat, barley, rye, oats, spelt or their derivatives) from meal planning. However, below are a few simple, elegant recipes that can be part of any seder.

We don’t have hosting duties this year, so I’ll make a flourless chocolate torte to bring to my in-laws. That’s for the first night. The second night of Passover, I’ll bring this addictive matzoh buttercrunch. Served with a simple fruit salad, it’s a sweet ending to the meal.

A few other recommendations: Chicken marbella is a fabulous dish to serve. Roasted potatoes and grilled/roasted asparagus are good accompaniments. Another winning side dish: Leek tomato quinoa. You won’t even miss the chametz.