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1
Lightly grease two 8-to-9-inch springform pans or two 9-to-10-inch tart pans with removable bottoms.
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2
Line the bottoms with greased paper.
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3
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
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4
Toast the four ounces of pecans for 15 minutes in the oven, rotating the tray once midway.
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5
Let cool.
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6
Mince the pecans with a sharp knife or with an on-off food processor motion, until fine but dry.
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7
Beat the egg yolks until light.
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8
Add the sugar gradually, until the yolks turn very creamy and form ribbons on the beater.
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9
Add the lemon juice, ginger juice and pepper.
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10
Beat to mix.
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11
Add the minced pecans and matzoh meal.
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12
Beat until blended.
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13
In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until they are blended.
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14
Add salt and continue whipping until the egg white forms firm peaks but are not dry.
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15
Lightly fold the egg whites into the nut mixture, until well blended.
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16
Divide the mixture between the two prepared pans.
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17
Sprinkle the crystallized ginger, glaceed apricots or kumquats evenly over the top.
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18
Space eight pecan halves around the edges of each tart, putting a ninth in the center.
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19
Bake in the middle or the bottom third of the oven for 40 to 45 minutes, until a cake tester in the center of the cake comes out dry.
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20
Let cool completely in pan.
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21
The cake tastes best baked a day in advance.
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22
Wrap air-tight overnight.
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23
Serve with a selection of seasonal berries.
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24
Or, if having a vegetarian seder, serve with Chantilly cream or Barbara Tropp's fresh ginger ice cream, the recipe for which is in ''The Modern Art of Chinese Cooking.''
