Za’atar sticks ( grissini) …. عيدان الزعتر المقرمشة

Ingredients: 

• 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 3 tbs olive oil
• 1/2 tbs salt
• 3 tbs powdered milk
• 1 tbs active dry yeast
• 1 tbs honey
• 3/4 cup Luke warm water 
• 2 tbs dry  or green zaatar herb (thyme) … not the one that we use for manaeesh
• 2 tbs sesame seeds
• Olive oil for brushing

Method:

• Wash Zaatar in a colander and pat dry
• Grind Zaatar in the coffee grinder 

• In a small bowl stir in the yeast, honey and water. Set aside for ten minutes until frothy.
• In the bowl of the stand mixer with the paddle attachment, stir in the flour, powdered milk, Zaatar, sesame seeds and salt .

• Remove the paddle hook and attach the dough hook to the mixer. Add the yeast mixture and the olive oil. 

• Knead at medium speed for five minutes to form a ball.

• Cover with plastic wrap and a clean kitchen towel and let rise for about an hour.

• On a clean counter top, roll out the dough to a rectangle ( as in picture)

• Fold the dough from both sides to the middle. 

• And fold in half again.

• Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 10 minutes.

 

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Roll out the dough into a rectangle again. With the pizza cutter, cut thin stripes.

• Roll out each stripe into a thin rope.

• Bring a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper and arrange the ropes on it.
• Brush the ropes with olive oil. Cover and let it rest for ten minutes. 

• Bake the Zaatar sticks in the middle rack of the preheated oven for 15-17 minutes.
• Enjoy with a cup of tea and appetizers!

  

Palestinian tomatoes and ground beef stew قلاية البندورة و اللحمه الفلسطينية

 
Delicious dinner recipe especially when it is tomato season. 

Ingredients: 

• 6 medium size ripe tomatoes peeled and diced
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 small onion diced     
• 1 jalapeño optional
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp allspice 
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbs sunflower oil

Method: 

1. In a medium size pot add sauté the onion in oil until translucent 
2. Add jalapeño (if used) and stir. Add the ground beef, salt, allspice, turmeric, black pepper and cinnamon. Brown until most of the liquid absorbed.
3. Stir in tomatoes ad adjust the salt. Let cook covered on a medium low heat for about 15 minutes. 
4. Garnish with toasted pine nuts and serve with rice.

Pistachio ghraibeh … Pistachio sugar cookies غريبة الفستق الحلبي

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup butter or crisco room temperature 
• 1 cup finely ground pistachios
• 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp orange blossom water
• Couple drops green food coloring      

Method:

1. In the stand mixer with the paddle attachment on, whip butter until fluffy.
2. Add sugar and keep whipping 4 more minutes until all sugar dissolved.
3. In a bowl add flour, salt and pistachios and mix to combine.
4. Fold in  the flour mixtur, orange blossom water and food coloring until soft dough formed.
5. Now this step is really important, cover dough and let it rest until the next day. The more time the dough get to rest, the better results you will get.
6. Preheat oven to 325F.
7. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper
8. Start shaping the dough into small balls or the shape desired
9. Press in a piece of whole pistachio in each ball
10. Bake in the middle rack of the oven for 16 minutes.
11. Store cookies in an air tight container to keep them fresh.

Enjoy  ghraibeh with a cup of coffee or tea!!

Happy Eid! عيد مبارك🌷

Tips:

•  rest time of the dough is the key in the success of this recipe
• I like to roast my pistachio in a skillet on top of the stove for 2 minute before grind them.