Makrod: Semolina Date Pastry Recipe. Gluten-Free Friendly
Posted on 22nd of April, 2010 by Lévana
I have always rather neglected this wonderful treat, as the traditional preparation requires frying, my nemesis: I don’t think I have more than a handful of fried dishes in my whole repertoire. But I tweaked the recipe to do my bidding as a baked, not fried, treat, and the result is scrumptious! Sephardi flavors at their best! Gluten-free: Use GF flour, and fine cornmeal.
I instruct you to roll out the dough with a pastry roller, but you can also pat it down evenly simply using your hands. In this case, when adding the top layer of dough, shape it in small pieces, flatten them and put them on top of the filling, putting the little pieces side by side until it is used up and the top is covered with dough.
Ingredients:
Dough
3 eggs
1 cup oil
3 cups flour
2 cups farina or semolina
1 tablespoon baking powder
A little water, only if needed to make the dough come together
Filling:
1 pound pitted chopped dates (make sure no pits remain), about 3 cups packed
1 1/2 cups very hot water
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon ginger
1 teaspoon cloves
Peel of 2 lemons
2 tablespoons orange flower water
Topping:
1 1/2 cups honey
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix all the dough ingredients thoroughly, and knead it on a board for just a minute or two, adding a little water if necessary to obtain a smooth dough. Set aside.
Process all the filling ingredients in a food processor, using the pulse button to avoid splattering, until smooth. Divide the dough in half. On a lightly floured board, roll each piece into a rectangle 1/2 inch thick, about 11 inches wide and 14 inches long. Transfer onto a well-greased cookie sheet with straight sides (don’t worry if it doesn’t cover the whole surface). Cover the dough evenly with the filling. Repeat with the remaining dough, and place gently over the filling (it’s OK if it breaks, just patch it). Score the pastry in the shape of squares or diamonds. Bake about 40 minutes, or a little longer, until golden. Immediately pour the honey slowly and evenly over the whole pastry. Let it cool, then cut it along the scored lines.
CAN ONE USE SILAN IN LIEU OF THE WATER AND DATES?
Do you mean the date honey? I think it’s too liquidy, you will just get frustrated. You want a perfect paste, and that’s what my recipe gives you!
OMG. Just made it. So much easier than the way I make it. I do mine in a rectangle l, put filling inside, roll into a log then slice, bake. Then once baked and cooled I dip each individual piece in honey I make myself from sugar water and lemon juice.
I made your recipe this morning. So quick and no real mess. Tastes awesome too. Will make it again for yomtov iyH because I am sure this will be finished way before then.
. Thank you and shabbat shalom.
Simone, hello, I know just what you mean! this is why I never made it, it looked much too daunting. This streamlined and much leaner way comes out just fabulous! I am giving a Pre-Tishrei demo next week in my children’s Schul in Washington Heights, and I gave them a menu complete with dessert. But when they tasted this dessert at our house, they asked me to switch to this dessert!
Where can you buy “orange flower water?”
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0070R89UO/ref=redir_mdp_mobile?redi
Rena you can buy orange flower water in specialty and ethnic grocery stores, and I would say all Sephardi stores have it. It is delicious, and very inexpensive.
Looks like a great recipe; have to try making makroud since it is a cousin of the lebanese maamoul and less time-consuming!
Joumana you will love it! Iam making it this week at a couple demos, it was such a huge hit at my last demo! Hey how was (is?) Nice? xoxoxo
I clicked o thelink for Chocolate Espresso bark and it keeps opening here.
Joy you got me intrigued, and I checked the chocolate bark link on my Rosh Hashanah link; sure enough it didn’t go to the right post, just as you said. I have it fixed now, thanks to you!!