Palestinian Falafel

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried chickpeas
• 1/2 large onion, roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2-1 teaspoon dried hot red pepper
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 4-6 tablespoons flour
• Soybean or vegetable oil for frying
• Chopped tomato for garnish
• Diced onion for garnish
• Diced green bell pepper for garnish
• Tahina* sauce
• Pita bread

* Tahina is a paste made from ground sesame seeds and is available at Middle Eastern stores and ethnic food sections at the supermarket.

Directions:

1. Put the chickpeas in a large bowl and add enough cold water to cover them by at least 2 inches. Let soak overnight, and then drain. (Alternatively, canned chickpeas can be used.)
2. Place the drained, uncooked chickpeas and the onions in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the parsley, cilantro, salt, hot pepper, garlic, and cumin. Process until blended but not pureed.
3. Sprinkle in the baking powder and 4 tablespoons of the flour, and pulse. You want to add enough flour so that the dough forms a small ball and no longer sticks to your hands. Turn into a bowl and refrigerate, covered, for several hours.
4. Form the chickpea mixture into balls about the size of walnuts, or use a falafel scoop, available in Middle-Eastern markets.
5. Heat 3 inches of oil to 375 degrees in a deep pot or wok and fry 1 ball to test. If it falls apart, add a little flour. Then fry about 6 balls at once for a few minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Stuff half a pita with falafel balls, chopped tomatoes, onion, green pepper, and pickled turnips. Drizzle with Tahina thinned with water.

Palestinian Harissa Pastries

PASTERY

Ingredients:

• 3 cups semolina
• ¾ cup unsweetened butter , melted
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• Garnish: ½ cup whole blanched almonds or ½ cup ground pistachio nut
  

Directions:

1. Mix the semolina, the sugar and the butter in a large bowl. Use your hands to corporate the butter with the other ingredients until mixed well.
2. Mix the yogurt and the baking soda in a separate bowl.
3. Wait a few minutes until the yogurt doubles in size.
4. When the yogurt has doubled (or almost) pour the yogurt mix on top of the semolina mix. Use your hands again to mix.
5. After you combined the two mixes, press the mix down on a small jellyroll pan or a 9x13 Pyrex baking dish.
   (The cake mix should not be more than 1 inch thick. If it is bake the cake in a bigger pan or take out the extra and bake it in a separate pan.).
6. Cut a diamond or square design in the cake with a butter knife.
7. If using almonds as a garnish, place one in each piece before baking.
8. Bake at 400 degrees for 30min to 45 mins until it’s a bronze brown color.
9. Pour cold syrup (see directions below) on top while its hot so it can absorb all the way through the pastery.
10. If using ground pistachios as a garnish, sprinkle a little on top of each square.

SYRUP

Ingredients:

• 4 cups sugar
• 3 cups water
• ½ small lemon, juice of (or equivalent citric acid)
  

Directions:

1. Mix all the ingredients for the syrup and place in saucepan on high until it boils. If using citric acid use only the tip of a teaspoon.
2. Reduce the heat to medium for 45 min to 1 hour until it coats a metal spoon.
3. Let cool before pouring on hot pastery
   

Kunafi Naboulsi, Palestine

Kunafi is a layed dessert that can be prepared ahead, kept in the fridge covered, and baked when you want to serve.

SYRUP

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 stick cinnamon or 1 tsp orange blossom water (in Arabic: "Maa’ Zaher")
  

Directions:

1. Mix all syrup ingredients in a medium pot.
2. Bring to boil then reduce heat and leave to simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

 

DOUGH FOR LAYERS

Ingredients:

• 350gm Kunafi dough*, finely chopped using food processor
• 2 cups semolina flour (in Arabic: "Smeed")
• ¾ cup butter, melted
• ½ cup milk
• 2-4 drops orange food colour (depends on colour intensity of the brand you have and how deep you want the KunafI colour to be)
• Garnish: finely chopped pistachios

* Kunafi dough is is available at Middle Eastern stores and ethnic food sections at the supermarket.

Directions:

1. Combined the shredded Kunafi dough mixed with the semolina flour
2. Mix orange colour with milk and our over the dough and rub well by hand.
3. Add melted butter and rub well by hand.
4. In 9 inch round or 9x12 inch rectangular baking tray, put half of Kunafi dough mixture, spreading to cover the bottom and press VERY well with the palm of the hand. Make a 1 cm rim around the perimeter of the pan by pressing against the tray.

 

FILLING

Ingredients:

• 2 cups milk
• 1 tin (170gm) thick cream (in Arabic: "Qeshta")
• 2 tbsp flour
• 2 tbsp semolina flour (in Arabic: "Smeed")
• 2 tbsp corn starch (in Arabic: "Nashaa")
  ¼ tsp gum arabic* (in Arabic: "Meska")
• Optional: 1 tsp orange blossom water (in Arabic: "Maa’ Zaher")
• ¾ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 2 tbsp sugar

* Gum arabic is the hardened sap of the acacia tree and in cooking it is used as a stabiliser. It is available at Middle Eastern stores.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425F (220C).
2. Mix sugar, milk, thick cream, flour, semolina flour and corn flour in a deep sauce pan. Stir well.
3. Bring over high heat to boil then reduce heat and continue stirring till it thickens, about 5-10 minutes.
4. Add gum arabic, orange blossom water and cheese and stir.
5. Pour filling over the first Kunafi layer in the pan and spread all over, leaving 1cm space between the filling and the sides of tray.
6. Arrange other half of Kunafi dough over the filling layer and press lightly.
7. Bake on lower rack of the oven, for about 25-30 minutes or till bottom starts to be golden.
8. Take out of the oven and immediately pour sugar syrup over the hot Kunafi layers. Sprinkle some pistachios on top. Cut and serve while hot.

Palestinian Ghraybeh (Shortbread)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rendered butter, refrigerated or 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 -2 ½ cups flour
• 1 teaspoon orange blossom water (optional)
• ½ cup blanched almonds
  

Directions:

1. Beat butter, sugar, and orange blossom water thoroughly with a mixer.
2. Add flour gradually and mix well.
3. Form small cookies into an doughnut shape, with each cookie being about a couple inches in size, give or take.
4. Press a blanched almond in the center of each cookie, where the ends have overlapped. Place on cookie sheets and bake at 300 degrees in a preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Avoid browning.
   

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