The Book of Jewish Food :
An Odyssey from Samarkand to New York

Claudia Roden, author of The Book of Jewish Food, has done more than simply compile a cookbook of Jewish recipes--she has produced a history of the Jewish diaspora, told through its cuisine. The book's 800 recipes reflect many cultures and regions of the world, from the Jewish quarter of Cairo where Roden spent her childhood to the kitchens of Europe, Asia, and the Americas. Both Ashkenazi and Sephardic cooking are well represented here: challah bread, bagels, blintzes, and kugels give way to tabbouleh, falafel, and succulent lamb with prunes, which are, in turn, succeeded by such fare as Ftut (Yemeni wedding soup) and Kahk (savory bracelets).

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Hamantashen with Poppy Seed (Mohn) Fiilling

At Purim, to celebrate the defeat and ultimate demise of the hated Haman, Ashkenazim make commemorative pastries in the shape of Haman's 3-cornered hat. There are different types of dough used for hamentashen. This one is kind of biscuity and comes with a recipe for a traditional poppy seed filling, although you can fill it with whatever filling you like. See Hamentashen Fillings for more ideas & recipes. This recipe comes from the book The Book of Jewish Food : An Odyssey from Samarkand to New York (see above for more information)

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In a bowl, mix the flour with the salt, sugar, and vanilla extract. Cut the butter in pieces and rub it into the flour. Mix the egg yoke and press into a soft ball. Work very briefly, adding a little milk if necessary to bind it. Wrap in plastic wrap and cool in the refrigerator.

For the filling, put the poppy seeds in a pan with the milk and simmer for about 15 minutes or until thick. Add the honey, sugar, raisins, and butter and cook 5 minutes more. Add the lemon zest and juice and the butter and mix well. Let it cool.

Divide the dough into 4 for easier handling. Roll out each piece on a floured surface with a floured rolling pin until it is 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick. Cut into 3-inch (7 1/2 cm) rounds with a pastry cutter. Take the scraps, roll out again, and cut into rounds. (Another way is to take a lump of dough a bit bigger than a walnut and to flatten the dough by pressing it in the palm of your hand.)

Put a heaping teaspoon of filling in the center of each round. Lift up the edges on three sides and fold over the filling to form a triangular pyramid, pinching the sides together to seal them but leaving the top open. Arrange on a greased tray and brush with beaten egg. Bake in a preheated 375 degree F (190 degree C) oven for 15-20 minutes, or until golden. Do not try to remove the pastries from the tray while they are hot, or they will crumble. Let them cool and lift them very carefully off with a spatula, because they are fragile.

Ingredients

For the Dough

1 3/4 c. (250 g) flour
A pinch of salt
2 tbsp.sugar
2-3 drops vanilla extract
5 oz (150 g) unsalted butter
1 egg yoke
2-3 tsp. milk, if necessary
1 egg, lightly beaten, to glaze

For the mohn (poppy-seed) filling

1 c. (150 g) poppy seeds
3/4 c. (175 ml) milk
2 tbsp.honey
4 tbsp. sugar
4 tbsp.raisins
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 tbsp.unsalted butter

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Kitchen Tools Needed

Electric Mixer
Cookie Sheet
Rolling Pin

Makes about 20 hamentashen.