Ingredients
- 2 C + 1½ T semolina
- 1/3 C AP Flour
- 3 ½ T Sugar
- Pinch salt
- ¾ C unsalted butter cut in cubes
- 2 T Orange Blossom Water
- 1 T Rose water
- 1 ½ t water
- Confectioner’s sugar to finish
Walnut filling
- 2 ¼ C walnuts
- 1/3 C figs (you can use Medjool dates coarsely chopped
- 3 ½ T sugar
- 1 t cardamom (you can use cinnamon here also)
- 1 ½ t Rose water
- 1 T Orange Blossom water
Method:
If you think this is too much Rose and Orange Blossom water, you would be wrong. It is soo just the right amount. If you think this is easy, you must be a 70 year old Turkish aunty…or a really good pottery artist.
Put the semolina, flour, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl and stir together. Add the butter and work with your fingers until the texture is like bread crumbs. Yes, you can use the mixer with a paddle. Keep a keen eye on it though so it doesn’t come together too soon. Add the orange blossom and rose waters and the water and use your hands to bring the mixture together into a ball. Remove to a clean surface and knead the dough for about 5 minutes, until completely smooth. Cover with a damp tea towel and leave to rest for 30 minutes.
If you haven’t worked with semolina it’s a pretty different feel in your hands. It is coarser than flour and has a higher protein content and firmer texture. This is probably due to the higher gluten content which gives it is classic chewy texture and nutty flavor. Ok, enough about semolina.
To make the filling, place the walnuts, dates, sugar, and cinnamon in a food processor and process until the nuts are chopped quite finely but not completely ground. Add the rose and orange blossom waters and pulse briefly until you get a uniform coarse paste.
Now comes the fun part. Or what I call the beautiful. You will have to trial and error this to get it right and have a small bowl of water for your hands so the dough doesn’t stick to them. Take a small portion of the dough and form a ball in your palms. Push in the center and start working it into a bowl shape. Take about a teaspoon of the filling and place it in the center of the bowl and pinch it shut. Roll it into a ball again and flatten it slightly between your palms. You can press down with the tines of a fork also, to give it a nice design. Have your oven ready at 400 degrees and make about a hundred of these.
Just kidding, it will feel like it because the first 10 or so will take a little manipulating of your hands around this delightful little cookie. Bake them for about 12-14 minutes, make sure they don’t turn color. Another trial and error process. Sprinkle with powdered sugar for serving. This one is a little work but, I promise, it’s worth it. Try a little meditative practice or just noticing your kitchen space while you’re doing this. You may discover something surprisingly lovely!