Sweets and Desserts from the Middle East

by Arto der Haroutunian

Overview

All Arto der Haroutunian’s twelve cookbooks written in the 1980s became classics; it was his belief that the rich culinary tradition of the Middle East is the main source of many of our Western cuisines and his books were intended as an introduction to that tradition. His Sweets & Desserts of the Middle East is regarded as the seminal work on the subject but it had been out of print for almost thirty years. At last here in a new edition is the Middle Eastern cookbook that everyone wants. In this book he takes us on a sumptuous and erudite tour of one of the delights of Middle Eastern cuisine. Sweets and desserts occupy a special place in those lands where natural food resources can sometimes be limited. The people have made supreme the art of creating delights from very little and in doing do have enriched their world with wafer-thin pastries, luscious halvas, crunchy biscuits, exotic fruits and cool refreshing sorbets. Many Middle Eastern desserts are very sweet (literally soaked in honey or syrup) and yet their variety is infinite. It reflects the multifarious origins and races of the people of the region and combines ancient traditions and modern influences. One basic sweet may have been adapted in a dozen different ways. Tantalizingly fragrant, sweet and succulent or dry and spiced with the aroma of the East they transport us as if by magic carpet to the exotic lands of the orient. There are recipes for sesame and date baklavas, almond and pistachio coated biscuits, tempting stuffed fruits, rich mousses, delicate sorbets and syrups, jams and preserves, all of which may tempt you to conjure up these Middle Eastern delicacies in your own home.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781909166073
Publisher:	Grub Street
Publication date:	10/19/2014
Pages:	144
Product dimensions:	7.50(w) x 9.80(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Arto der Haroutunian was born in Aleppo, Syria in 1940 and grew up in the Levant, but came to England with his parents as a child and remained there for most of his life. He studied architecture at Manchester University and established a career designing restaurants, clubs, and hotels. In 1970, in partnership with his brother, he opened the first Armenian restaurant in Manchester which eventually became a successful chain of six restaurants and two hotels.

Given his passion for cooking it was a natural progression that he began to write cookery books as they combined his love of food with his great interest in the history and culture of the region. It was his belief that the rich culinary tradition of the Middle East is the main source of many of our Western cuisines and his books were intended as an introduction to that tradition. He died in 1987 at the untimely age of 47. He is survived by his wife and son who still live in Manchester. As well as his passion for cooking, Arto der Haroutunian was a painter of international reputation who exhibited all over the world.

Read an Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

baklavas and kunafehs

baklava

flaky pastry with nuts or fruits

Baklava (Paklava) or in its original form Bahkihalva is the most famous of all Middle Eastern sweets. This is not surprising since it is one of the great desserts of the world.

Traditionally there should be 40 layers of pastry, 20 below and 20 above the filling – symbolising gastronomically the 40 days of Lent. Bahk means Lent in Armenian. There are numerous variations of this sweet, several of which I have included. The recipe below is a classic one from my family, prepared and served on Easter Sunday when Lent was broken.

The pastry (phyllo or filo or strudel pastry) can be purchased from most Indian and continental shops. It normally comes in 450g (1 lb) packets. However, if you wish to be more authentic use the recipe Homemade Baklava filo on page 235.

* * *

450g (1 lb) packet filo pastry
225g (½ lb) unsalted butter, melted and with froth removed
225g (½ lb) walnuts, chopped or coarsely ground

Syrup

350g (12 oz) sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons rosewater

First prepare the syrup. Place the sugar, lemon juice and 350ml (12 fl oz) water in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the syrup leaves a slightly sticky film on a spoon. Add the rosewater and set aside to cool.

Most packets of filo pastry have sheets 53 × 28cm (21 × 11in), but it is not easy to find a tin with these dimensions. I use one 30 × 20cm (12 × 8in) and trim the sheets to make them fit. As I am loathe to waste good food I slip the trimmings between the sheets, maintaining an even thickness. The one important point is that the tin should be at least 2.5cm (1in) deep. Grease the baking tin with a little melted butter.

Open out the sheets of pastry and cover with a tea towel. Lay 2 sheets of the pastry on top of each other in the tin, keeping those not in use covered so that they do not dry out. Dribble a tablespoon of the melted butter over the second sheet. Repeat in this way until you have 6-8 sheets in the tin. While layering the sheets try to press on them as little as possible. This ensures that air is trapped between the layers and so enables the sweet to rise.

Spread half of the chopped nuts over the top sheet of pastry. Continue with layers of pastry and spoonfuls of butter until you have laid down a further 6-8 sheets. Spread the remaining nuts over the last sheet.

Continue layering the pastry with spoonfuls of the melted butter dribbled over alternate sheets until you have used up all the pastry. Spoon any remaining butter over the last sheet, discarding the milky residue at the bottom of the pan. Lightly brush the butter all over the last sheet so that every bit of pastry is covered.

Cut the baklava into lozenge shapes, using a sharp knife and taking care to press as little as possible on the pastry. Place in an oven preheated to 180C (350F) gas 4 and cook for 30 minutes. Lower the temperature to 150C (300F) gas 2 and cook for a further hour or until the pastry is golden.

Set aside until the baklava is warm and then pour the cold syrup all along the gaps. Set aside until completely cold. To serve first run a sharp knife along the gaps to make sure that all the layers have been completely separated.

Makes 24-30 pieces

ALTERNATIVE FILLINGS

Here on the following pages are eight different baklava fillings. Follow the method in the recipe above and substitute the filling of your choice. The proportions below are all for 450g (1 lb) packet of filo. Mix the fillings well before using.

baklava-bil-fistuk halabi

pistachio filling

225g (½ lb) pistachio nuts, coarsely chopped
3-4 tablespoons caster sugar

noushi-baklava

almond filling

225g (½ lb) almonds, chopped or coarsely ground
3-4 tablespoons caster sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

bahlawa-bil-joz el hind

coconut filling

225g (½ lb) desiccated coconut
6-7 tablespoons caster sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
2-3 tablespoons water

There is no reason why other nuts, eg. hazelnuts, brazil nuts or a mixture of nuts, should not be used, so long as you avoid peanuts! The use of this latter nut is recent, popularised by the lower grade Cypriot restaurateurs and delicatessens – I assume to keep prices down. The taste is almost revolting. I exaggerate? Try one – they are sold in many Greek and Indian stores. Better still, don't waste your money!

portakali baklava

baklava with oranges

Fruits are often used as fillings in baklavas although they are not as popular as their nutty counterparts. Some of these recipes are highly prized, for example this recipe for baklava with oranges which is a speciality from Istanbul, Turkey. This is an absolutely marvellous sweet with the addition of orange blossom water giving it a wonderful refreshing aroma.

450g (1 lb) oranges

When preparing the syrup flavour with 2 tablespoons orange blossom water instead of rosewater.

To make the filling place the oranges in a saucepan half filled with water, bring to the boil, cover, lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Drain, return the oranges to the pan with fresh water and cook for a further 30 minutes. Drain and leave until cool enough to handle.

Quarter the oranges and remove and discard the pips. Using a blender, liquidise the quartered oranges, including the peel. Add a tablespoon or two of water if this will make it easier. Place the pulp in a muslin bag and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Set the pulp aside to cool.

Prepare the baklava according to the usual method, but when you have laid down 8 sheets of filo spread all the orange pulp evenly and gently over them and then layer all the remaining sheets and butter.

elmali paklava

apple filling

Apple strudel à la turque! The Austro-Hungarian Empire was greatly influenced by the Ottoman cuisine and it is quite possible this recipe for apple baklava was the progenitor of the famed Viennese apple strudel.

350g (¾ lb) apples, peeled and grated
225g (½ lb) caster sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Mix the grated apples and sugar together, put into a muslin bag and squeeze out as much juice as possible. Empty the mixture into a bowl, stir in the cinnamon and make the paklava using all the apple to make 1 layer of filling rather than 2.

gerasov baklava

cherry filling

450g (1 lb) fresh cherries, stones removed
110g (¼ lb) caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Liquidise the cherries, place in a muslin bag and squeeze out as much juice as possible. Mix in the sugar and vanilla essence and make the baklava, making 1 layer with the filling instead of 2.

bahlawah-bil-annanas

pineapple filling

Particularly popular in Lebanon and the Gulf States.

450g (1 lb) pineapple flesh

Liquidise the pineapple, place in a muslin bag and squeeze out as much juice as possible. Make the baklava as usual, making 1 layer with the filling instead of 2.

tutumi baklava

pumpkin and walnut filling

A regional speciality from Southern Turkey which is unusual and devastatingly tasty.

225g (½ lb) pumpkin, peeled and grated
225g (½ lb) caster sugar
110g (¼ lb) walnuts, chopped or coarsely ground
1 tablespoon rosewater

Mix together and make the baklava as usual, making 1 layer with the filling rather than 2.

* * *

baklawah min semsem

sesame baklava

A Lebanese recipe in which sesame seeds are fried and then mixed with chopped almonds and spices to form a filling for the baklava. It has an earthy and wholesome flavour about it.

* * *

450g (1 lb) packet filo pastry
350g (¾ lb) unsalted butter, melted and with froth removed

Filling

50g (2 oz) sesame seeds
225g (½ lb) almonds, coarsely chopped
75g (3 oz) sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Syrup

350g (12 oz) sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon ground allspice
1 tablespoon rosewater
1 tablespoon orange blossom water

First prepare the syrup. Place the sugar, lemon juice, allspice and 350ml (12 fl oz) water in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the syrup leaves a slightly sticky film on a spoon. Add the rosewater and orange blossom water and cool.

Place 3 tablespoons of the butter in a small saucepan, add the sesame seeds and fry, stirring frequently until the sesame seeds are golden brown. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining filling ingredients.

Brush a baking tin about 30 × 20cm (12 × 8in) and at least 2.5cm (1in) deep with a little of the melted butter. Open out the sheets of filo and cover with a tea towel to prevent them drying. Lay 2 sheets of pastry on top of each other in the tray. Trim the sheets to the correct size and slip the trimmings between the layers, maintaining an even thickness. Dribble a tablespoon of the melted butter over the second sheet. Now lay down a further 4-6 sheets, dribbling a tablespoon of butter over each one.

Sprinkle half the nut mixture over the buttered filo. Cover with 6-8 more filo sheets, dribbling a little butter over each one. Sprinkle with the remaining nut mixture. Continue layering and buttering the pastry. Pour any remaining butter over the last sheet and brush all over the surface.

With a sharp knife cut the baklava into lozenge shapes, taking care to press as little as possible on the actual baklava. Place in an oven preheated to 180C (350F) gas 4 and cook for 30 minutes. Lower the heat to 150C (300F) gas 2 and cook for a further hour or until the pastry is golden.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 10-15 minutes. Then slowly pour the syrup along all the gaps in the baklava. Set aside until completely cold and then serve.

Makes 24-30 pieces

galatabourego

cypriot baklava

* * *

450g (1 lb) filo pastry
2-3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Syrup

175g (6 oz) sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons orange blossom water

Filling

900ml (1½ pints) milk
250g (9 oz) sugar
110g (4 oz) fine semolina or rice flour
225g (½ lb) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon grated orange rind
6 eggs, separated pinch of salt

First prepare the filling. Pour the milk into a saucepan and stir in 175g (6 oz) of the sugar and the semolina or rice flour. Add the pieces of butter and cook over a moderate heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens like a custard. Stir in the grated orange rind, pour into a large bowl and leave to cool. When the custard is cool place the egg whites in a bowl with the salt and whisk until stiff. Place the egg yolks in another bowl with the remaining 75g (3 oz) sugar and whisk until pale and creamy. Fold the egg whites and egg yolks gently but quickly into the custard.

Open out the filo pastry, take out 7-8 sheets of filo and cover with a tea towel to prevent drying. Wrap well and refrigerate or freeze the remaining pastry for future use. The sheets of pastry are usually about 53 × 28cm (21 × 11in); cut them in half to give sheets about 26 × 28cm (101/2 × 11in). Stack the sheets on top of each other and cover again with the tea towel.

Lay one sheet of the pastry out flat on a work top and place 2 tablespoons of the filling in a ridge about 12.5cm (5in) long, 6cm (21/2 in) in from the edge nearest you. Fold the edge of the pastry over the filling, fold the 2 sides in over the ends of the filling and carefully roll the pastry up. Roll it loosely as the filling will expand as it cooks. Repeat with the remaining pastry and filling.

Grease 2 large baking trays and arrange the pastries, openings underneath, on them at least 2.5cm (1in) apart. Brush the surface of the pastries with the melted butter and place in an oven preheated to 180C (350F) gas 4. Cook for 30-40 minutes, until the custard filling puffs up and the pastry is a light golden. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

Prepare the syrup. Place the sugar, lemon juice and 450ml (¾ pint) water in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 minutes, remove from the heat and stir in the orange blossom water. Pour the syrup over the galatabourego and leave to cool. These are delicious on their own or with cream.

Makes 14-16

* * *

saray baklavasi

palace baklava

A Turkish speciality from the days of the Ottoman sultans who could afford to indulge themselves with luxurious titbits in their overornate, dark, hermit-like palaces. This is not a true baklava. It is really a crescent-shaped pastry filled with nuts or semolina custard or fruits. I have given the recipe for the traditional Saray Baklavasi dough with a nut filling, and for Kaymakli Saray Baklavasi – palace baklava with cream. However, there is no reason why other fillings cannot be used.

* * *

Basic dough

350g (12 oz) plain flour, sifted
½ tablespoon icing sugar
½ tablespoon salt
30ml (1 fl oz) melted butter, with froth removed
1 egg
½ egg yolk
50g (2 oz) margarine, softened

Filling

225g (½ lb) chopped walnuts or shredded coconut or chopped, blanched almonds or chopped pistachio nuts or chopped hazelnuts
225g (½ lb) icing sugar
1-2 tablespoons orange blossom water

Syrup

450g (1 lb) sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Glaze

1 egg, beaten

Place the flour in a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the icing sugar, salt and butter and knead. Add the egg and egg yolk and mix well. Gradually add 120ml (4 fl oz) water and knead for about 10 minutes or until you have a smooth dough.

Lightly flour a work top and divide the dough into 2 equal portions. Roll each ball into a 30cm (12in) long stick. Cover with a damp cloth and leave to rest for 20 minutes.

Now cut the rolls of dough into 2.5cm (1in) pieces. Roll the pieces into walnut-sized balls, arrange on a greased baking tray, cover with the damp cloth and leave to rest for a further 20 minutes. Flour the work top again and, taking 1 ball at a time, roll it into a disc 3mm (1/8in) thick. Spread a little of the softened margarine over each disc and fold in half.

One at a time take the folded discs, open and gently pull and stretch with your hands to make them as thin as possible. Finally loosely and lightly roll each circle of dough up like a cigarette and place on the baking tray. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using.

Lightly flour a work top and remove the prepared dough from the refrigerator.

Mix the filling ingredients together in a bowl. Unroll one roll of dough and flatten it, with a floured rolling pin. Place 1 tablespoon of the nut mixture in one half of the round of dough. Fold the dough over to form a semi-circle and press the edges together with your fingertips. Continue with the remaining dough and filling.

Arrange the baklava on greased baking trays and brush the surface of each one with the beaten egg. Place in an oven preheated to 200C (400F) gas 6 and bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden.

Meanwhile place the sugar, lemon juice and 300ml (½ pint) water in a saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the syrup forms a sticky film on a spoon.

Remove the trays from the oven and pour the hot syrup over the baklava immediately.

Leave to cool on the trays and serve cold, ideally sprinkled with a little ground pistachio nuts mixed with cinnamon.

Makes 24

* * *

kaymakli saray baklavasi

palace baklava with cream

Similar in principle to the Greek galatabourego.

* * *

Dough

Prepare as for Saray Baklavasi

Filling

600ml (1 pint) milk
40g (1½ oz) fine semolina

Prepare the filling first. Bring the milk to the boil in a saucepan, add the semolina and cook over a low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. It will continue to thicken.

Prepare this sweet as described in the method for Saray Baklavasi.

Makes 24

* * *

antep suarzesi

'bird's nest' pastries

Antep (Gaziantep) is a medium-sized town in Southern Turkey famed for her rich culinary traditions – derived from centuries of intermingling of Arab, Armenian and Turkish cultures. The recipe below is of Arab origin. Suarzes means bird's nest in the Syrian dialect.

* * *

10 sheets filo pastry
225g (½ lb) unsalted butter, melted and with froth removed

Syrup

450g (1 lb) sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Garnish

6-7 tablespoons very finely chopped pistachio nuts

Lay the sheets of pastry out flat, on top of each other, on a work top.

Each sheet is approximately 53 × 28cm (21 × 11in). Mark the top one into 6 portions each about 18 × 13cm (7 × 5½ in) and then cut down through all 10 sheets. Stack the 60 pieces of pastry on top of each other and cover with a cloth to prevent them drying out.

Remove 1 piece of pastry and brush all over with a little melted butter. Roll the pastry up as you would a cigarette so that you have a roll 13cm (5½ in) long.

Carefully bend the roll into a circle and squeeze the 2 ends of the pastry together. They will stick easily if you dampen your fingers first. Repeat with all the remaining pieces of pastry.

Arrange on lightly greased baking trays about 1cm (½in) apart and brush the outer surfaces of the circles with any remaining butter. Place in an oven preheated to 170C (325F) gas 3 and bake for 20-25 minutes or until they are just turning a light golden colour.

While they are cooking prepare the syrup. Place the sugar, lemon juice and 450ml (¾ pint) water in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Boil quite vigorously for about 5 minutes and then remove from the heat. When the suarzesi are cooked place them in a shallow dish, pour the boiling syrup over them and leave for 2 hours to cool.

Lift from the syrup and arrange the pastries on a large serving plate.

Dust with the finely chopped pistachio nuts.

(Continues…)

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Excerpted from "Sweets and Desserts from the Middle East"
by .
Copyright © 2013 Arto der Haroutunian.
Excerpted by permission of Grub Street.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

Introduction 4

Baklavas and Kunafehs 8

Halvas 35

Fritters and Pancakes 48

Pastries 65

Milk and Rice Puddings 82

Fruit, Nut and Vegetable Sweets 93

Yoghurt and Cheese Sweets 134

Cakes and Gateaux 148

Tea and Coffee Time 161

Ice Creams and Sorbets 195

Jams and Preserves 208

Drinks and Sherbets 222

Basics 235

Index 238

Editorial Reviews

"Our Western food culture has far deeper and wider roots in the Middle East than you might imagine. And from the Middle East there are still more treasures that await us. Arto knew that and wrote it down with obvious passion in Sweet & Desserts from the Middle East. It’s a very sweet book. One you will forever treasure."

Cooking By the Book