Tuesday, 6 August 2013

The bread budding of the Arabs: Um Ali



Every Ramadan my mother will announce that she "at last" found the perfect recipe for Um Ali. While she still searches for the perfect recipe I found mine, when it comes to cooking I follow the motto " if it ain't broken , don't fix it", if it tastes good I stop my search. The only change I made is that I don't use raisins, I never have been a fan of them as a child and I still don't like them much. 


Um Ali Adapted from (Zaytouneh.com)
serves 6-8
Ingredients:
6 suqare sheets of puff pastry
200g nuts, chopped ( I used a mix of walnuts, almonds and cashews)
200g Pistachio , chopped
150g sugar
1 liter of milk
250g thick cream

Directions:
Cook the puff pastry in a 200 degrees oven for 20 minutes until the are golden, set them aside to cool for a while
Once they are cold shred the pastry sheets in an oven dish, mine was 20cm.
Add the nuts and half the pistachio, toss to mix.



In a small sauce pan heat the milk and dissolve the sugar in it, then pour it over the pastry and nuts mix.
Spread the thick cream on top as evenly as possible, scatter the rest of the pistachio as a garnish.
Bake in 200 Degrees oven for 20 minutes, until the top layer takes a light golden colour
serve warm, although I personally find it equally delicious when it's cold


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