Purim: Reshaping Hamantaschen

To celebrate Purim, which begins on March 18, stories are read of the triumph of Queen Esther over Haman, the wicked prime minister of ancient Persia. The holiday celebrates the liberation of the Jews of Persia, and traditionally, filled pastries called hamantaschen (Haman’s pockets) are eaten.

The women of ancient Persia prepared their special pastries and arranged them in baskets to be delivered to the needy. Since Purim is traditionally a time for sharing, it would be a perfect time to bring back this custom, known as shalah manot .

These pastries included a Middle Eastern version of the traditional hamantaschen pastries. Linda Haim Meadows, a talented young Jewish-Iraqi artist who now lives and works in Los Angeles, remembers that during Purim, her mother always served an assortment of pastries when friends dropped in for tea.

Meadows’ recipes have exotic names, but like hamantaschen they are basically pastries with a variety of fillings. Sambousak are delicious whether you make them with baking powder or yeast dough. And, depending on the filling you choose, they may be served as appetizers or desserts. They can also be prepared in advance and will freeze easily.

Sambousak fillings offer something for every taste: cheese and egg for dairy meals, chicken with chick-peas seasoned with aromatic spices, or sweet date or ground nut fillings.

Malfoof Bel Shira , another delight, is made with filo dough, filled with an almond mixture and coated with a sugar syrup. Both the filling and the syrup are scented with orange blossom water and rose water. Meadows’ mother says that in Iraq, during Purim, women skilled in pastry making would travel from home to home, preparing huge batches of these pastries. The leftover dough was refrigerated and deep-fried, then sprinkled with powdered sugar and served the next morning for breakfast.

LINDA MEADOWS’ SAMBOUSAK BE TAWAH

1 (15 1/2-ounce) can garbanzo beans or chickpeas, undrained

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 onions, finely diced

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

Freshly ground pepper

1 pound uncooked ground chicken

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon curry powder

Salt

1 egg, lightly beaten

Baking Powder Dough

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Drain garbanzo beans and reserve liquid (about 3/4 cup) for Baking Powder Dough. Grind garbanzos in food processor and set aside.

Heat olive oil in skillet. Add onions and saute along with turmeric and pepper to taste until golden. Add chicken, cumin, curry powder and salt to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes or until liquid has evaporated and flavors have blended. Add garbanzos and mix well. Cool. Mix in 1 lightly beaten egg. Makes about 6 cups.

Divide Baking Powder Dough into 4 portions. Roll out, 1 portion at time, on floured board. Cut into 3-inch rounds. Place generous teaspoon filling on 1 side of round. Brush edge with water and fold in half to cover filling. Seal edges with tines of fork. Cover any leftover filling and refrigerate.

Heat 1/4 cup oil in large skillet and fry pastries until golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels. Makes about 48.

Note: To bake pastries, line baking sheet with foil and brush with oil. Place pastries on baking sheet 1/2 inch apart. Brush with lightly beaten egg. Pierce tops with fork so steam can escape. Bake at 400 degrees 15 to 20 minutes, or until well browned.

Each serving, if fried, contains about:

104 calories; 48 mg sodium; 12 mg cholesterol; 4 grams fat; 14 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams protein; 0.47 grams fiber; 34% calories from fat.

Each serving, if baked, contains about:

96 calories; 50 mg sodium; 16 mg cholesterol; 3 grams fat; 14 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams protein; 0.47 grams fiber; 27% calories from fat.

Baking Powder Dough

3 1/2 cups unbleached flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

Reserved liquid from garbanzo beans (about 3/4 cup)

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup oil

1 egg

Combine 3 cups flour, salt and baking powder in bowl of electric mixer. Stir lightly. Add reserved garbanzo bean liquid, water, oil and egg, mixing until dough comes together.

Place dough on floured board and knead, adding enough remaining 1/2 cup flour to make smooth dough. Cover with towel and let stand 1 hour.

BA’BA BEH TAMUR (Iraqi Filled Pastries)

1 package dry yeast

1 cup lukewarm water (105 to 115 degrees)

3 cups flour, sifted

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon ground fennel seeds

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Cheese, Almond or Date Filling

1 egg white (if using Date Filling)

2 tablespoons sesame seeds (if using Date Filling)

Combine yeast and water and set aside 10 minutes.

Mix together flour, salt, baking powder, fennel, yeast mixture and melted butter in bowl of electric mixer until it comes together (do not overbeat). Cover with damp cloth and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

When using Cheese or Almond Fillings, roll dough and cut into 3-inch rounds. Place 1 teaspoon filling in center. Brush edge with water and fold to make half-moon shape. Seal edges with tines of fork. Bake at 425 degrees 20 minutes, until golden brown. Makes about 48 cheese- or almond-filled pastries.

For Date Filling, roll dough and cut into 3-inch rounds. Place 1 teaspoon date filling in center. Gather dough up around filling and pinch to seal. Roll into ball and flatten with rolling pin. Brush with 1 egg white and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sesame seeds. Pierce surface with fork. Bake at 425 degrees 20 minutes, until golden brown. Makes about 48.

Each cheese-filled pastry contains about:

71 calories; 57 mg sodium; 20 mg cholesterol; 4 grams fat; 6 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 0.04 grams fiber; 51% calories from fat.

Each almond-filled pastry contains about:

77 calories; 34 mg sodium; 6 mg cholesterol; 4 grams fat; 9 grams carbohydrates; 1 grams protein; 0.09 grams fiber; 45% calories from fat.

Each date-filled pastry contains about:

85 calories; 35 mg sodium; 9 mg cholesterol; 3 grams fat; 13 grams carbohydrates; 1 grams protein; 0.25 grams fiber; 37% calories from fat.

Cheese Filling

1 cup shredded Jarlsberg cheese

1 cup shredded Muenster cheese

2 eggs

Combine cheeses and eggs in medium bowl and mix well. Makes 2 cups.

Almond Filling

2 cups ground almonds

2/3 cup sugar

2 tablespoons rose water

2 tablespoons orange blossom water

Mix almonds with sugar, rose water and orange blossom water in small bowl. Makes 2 1/2 cups.

Note: Walnuts may be used in place of almonds. Add 2 teaspoons ground cardamom with walnuts.

Date Filling

16 ounces pitted dates, cut into small pieces

1/4 cup unsalted butter

2 tablespoons milk

Place dates, butter and milk in double boiler set over simmering water. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture is soft and doughy. Cool. Makes about 2 1/2 cups.

MALFOOF BEL SHIRA (Iraqi Filo Pastries)

1 cup unsalted butter or margarine

1 1/2 cups ground almonds

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 teaspoon rose water

1 teaspoon orange blossom water

12 sheets filo dough

Sugar Syrup

Melt butter and strain through sieve lined with cheesecloth. Set aside.

Combine almonds, sugar, cardamom, rose water and orange blossom water in large bowl. Set aside.

Cut each filo sheet in half and brush with butter. Fold each half in half again and brush with butter. Place 1 tablespoon almond filling in center, 1-inch from bottom edge. Fold edge over filling. Fold 2 opposite sides over filling until they almost meet in center. Then make 1 or 2 more folds from bottom up, into envelope.

Line baking sheet with foil and brush with melted butter. Place pastries on sheet, seam-side down, and brush with butter. Bake at 375 degrees 10 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oven and spoon Sugar Syrup over each. Place pastries on plate and freeze. Remove from freezer 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Makes 24 pastries.

Each pastry contains about:

228 calories; 149 mg sodium; 21 mg cholesterol; 12 grams fat; 28 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams protein; 0.14 grams fiber; 46% calories from fat.

Sugar Syrup

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons rose water

1 1/2 teaspoons orange blossom water

Combine sugar with water in pan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes until it begins to thicken. Add lemon juice and boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add rose water and orange blossom water. Mix well. Set aside. Makes about 1 cup.