Wow - haven't posted a recipe in ages. It's silly season again, that's why. Only time for silliness, nothing else. In the midst, I have been preparing some Christmas recipes for Ahlan Gourmet. They are a twist on the original, and bring a little of the Middle East into the traditional English recipes.
The first is Batheeth pies - a replacement to mince pies, which incidently I hate. I love looking at them, but they're so rich and unbalanced that I rarely find one I like. These however I have been eating by the dozen. Batheeth is something I was introduced to by a fellow food blogger - La Mere Culinaire - at her own home (I wrote about the experience here - fab day, cooking with her mum.) It's a date and spice mix, with flour and ghee to bind. Very commonly seen on Emirati tables - it's very easy to make, and tastes great with a coffee (or gahwa)
Ingredients:
For the batheeth:
For assembling the pies:
To make the batheeth
Serve at room temperature. Will keep for at least 3-4 days. Best not to refrigerate, or the ghee will solidify.
Other recipes will be availble in Ahlan Gourmet's December 2012 issue.
The first is Batheeth pies - a replacement to mince pies, which incidently I hate. I love looking at them, but they're so rich and unbalanced that I rarely find one I like. These however I have been eating by the dozen. Batheeth is something I was introduced to by a fellow food blogger - La Mere Culinaire - at her own home (I wrote about the experience here - fab day, cooking with her mum.) It's a date and spice mix, with flour and ghee to bind. Very commonly seen on Emirati tables - it's very easy to make, and tastes great with a coffee (or gahwa)
Ingredients:
For the batheeth:
- 1 cup plain flour
- 1 ½ cups chopped dried dates
- 1 tsp ginger
- ½ tsp cloves
- ¼ cup good quality ghee
- 3 cardamom pods
- pinch salt
For assembling the pies:
- Shortcrust Pastry – about 300g
- 1 egg, beaten
- Rolled fondant icing
To make the batheeth
- Place the flour and dry spices in a dry pan over a medium heat, and stir occasionally until it is lightly browned (about 10 minutes, careful not to burn, as it turns quite quickly)
- Put the ghee and the bruised cardamom pods in a small pan on a low heat while the flour is cooking
- Loosely chop the dates and add to a food processor, topping with the cooked flour and the ghee (pods strained off). This can be done by hand – chop the dates as finely as you can and stir well to combine. Feel free to get your fingers in there to mix it thoroughly. Place in a bowl in the refrigerator.
- Roll pastry to ½ cm thickness and use a cookie cutter to make about 18 medium rounds. Brush with egg and bake for 10 minutes, or until golden.
- Remove from oven to cool slightly.
- While the pastry is cooling, take the batheeth mix and mould piece by piece (I used mammoul moulds), and place each one atop a pastry biscuit. It’s best to do this while the pastry is warm (not hot) so the mix adheres well.
- Use fondant icing and cut shapes with moulds to decorate ‘pies’ once they are cool.
Serve at room temperature. Will keep for at least 3-4 days. Best not to refrigerate, or the ghee will solidify.
Other recipes will be availble in Ahlan Gourmet's December 2012 issue.
I made Bathitha for Eid it was so good we love it. I never had it this way but it looks nice.
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Sounds yummy, I love dates :)
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