Happy Nowruz!!!.....Masghati Pudding to Celebrate this Day!!.....(Almond, Pistachio, Saffron Pudding)

Today is the first day of Spring, and according to the Zoroastrians is the day of their New Year or Nowruz. Nowruz has been celebrated for over 3,000 years, and it is an important day of celebration for Iranian, Afghan and Kurdish peoples, as well as some  people of Central Asia, Caucasus, and the Balkans.

According to Wikipedia,  the official year begins when the Sun leaves the sign of Pisces and enters in the sign of Aries, which is the Spring Equinox.

 

Fruit over the Table is a Tradition in Nowruz

In previous years, we have participated of some Nowruz celebrations. We have friends that have invited us to share their traditions and food this day. 


This year, we have participated in this celebration, and this time I have made a Baklava and my own version of Masghati Pudding.....Enjoy!!


You can see my Baklava (made of pistachios and almonds) recipe in a previous posting here

 

 

Masghati Pudding (Almond, Pistachio, and Saffron Pudding)

I have reviewed different blogs, but I ended up doing my own version.....when my friends tried it.....they really like it!!

1 cup of grinded almonds

1/2 cup of grinded pistachios (plus some pistachios for garnish)

1 cup corn starch

1 1/4 cup of white sugar

2 tablespoons of butter (room temperature)

2 cardamom seeds (crushed)

8 saffron strands

1 piece of saffron sugar (I crushed it in order to dissolve it easily!)

1/2 cup rose tea

2 tablespoon of Rose Water

Put two tablespoon of Rose petals (the one use to make tea) in a cup of cold water. Boil it for three minutes at low heat. Strain it. Mix it with a piece of saffron sugar (dissolve the sugar). Reserve until is cold. You will use only ½ cup of this rose tea......you can drink the rest of the tea!

 Saffron Sugar

Plus Rose Petals

 Make a Nice Rose Saffron Tea.....

Mix the sugar with 1 cup of water, and heat it until the sugar is dissolved. Crush the saffron with some sugar, add to the water. Add the Rose water, and the crushed cardamom. Set aside until is cold.

Cardamom

 and Saffron

are Crushed in this Mortar

Dissolve the corn starch with one cup of water. Add the cold rose tea, and the sugar syrup (with the saffron, cardamom, and rose water). Incorporate the almonds and pistachio. Add two more cups of cold water, and mix it well. Place this mixture in a pan, and heat it a low medium heat. Stir it constantly to avoid lumps. When the mix is warm, incorporate the butter. Stir it until reaches a creamy mixture, and the corn starch is fully cooked.

When the mixture is cooked, place it over a tray, let it cool, and cut them in diamond shapes. Garnish it with a pistachio. Enjoy!! 

 

 

 

 

 

Would you like to eat a piece?

Pizza con Relleno de Fatayer de Espinacas?......SI....Y Es Deliciosa!!

Sumac

La cocina Libanesa tiene cada vez más presencia en nuestra mesa. He descubierto no sólo platos  excepcionales, sino también nuevas especies que estoy usando en diferentes recetas. Dos de esta especie que estoy utilizando más y más  son Sumac y Zaatar.

Cuando Jose Antonio puso sus fantasticos Fatayers de Espinacas, le dije que no solo me encantaba hacer mis   Fatayers de Espinacas, sino tambien uso este relleno para hacer pizza. Ahora, Jose Antonio ha hecho una fantastica Tortilla con el relleno de los Fatayer, de seguro la probaremos!!

Durante los dias de invierno, los Viernes son dias de pizza. Ahora que ha mejorado el clima (y los dias son mas largos!!), los Viernes es dia de "picoteo" o "tapas".

Pizza de Fatayer de Espinacas

Masa

2 tazas de harina
3 cucharadas de aceite de oliva extra virgen
1 / 2 cucharadita de sal
3 cucharaditas de levadura
3 / 4 taza de agua tibia (más o menos dependiendo del contenido de humedad de su cocina)
1 / 3 cucharadita de azúcar
Harina de maíz en polvo para la piedra de la pizza

Mezclar 1 / 4 de taza de agua tibia con el azúcar y la levadura. Deja que forme  espuma (aproximadamente 5 minutos). En otro tazón, mezcle la harina y la sal. Agregar la espuma de levadura, incorporar el aceite de oliva y añadir poco a poco el resto del agua. La masa tiene que ser suave, pero no pegajosa. Sobre una mesa enharinada,amasar la masa durante unos 8 minutos. Coloque la bola de masa en un tazón engrasado con aceite de oliva. Deje que suba hasta que doble su tamaño (alrededor de 1 o 1 1 / 2 hora)

Cuando la masa sea el doble, con su dedo haga un hoyo para liberar los gases. Deja que suba de nuevo.

Mientras, prepare el relleno de la misma forma que hice los Fatayer de Espinacas.

Fatayer de Espinacas

Relleno:
Una bolsa grande de espinacas (lavadas y picadas)
3 cucharadas de aceite de oliva
1 cucharadita de sal
1 cebolla roja (picada)
1 1 / 2 cucharadita de sumac
1 cucharadita de zataar
3 cucharadas de jugo de limón

Lavar y picar las espinacas. Espolvoree la sal sobre las espinacas, y se deja reposarcdurante 20 minutos para que boten el agua.

En una olla, calentar el aceite de oliva y cocine la cebolla con zaatar. Deje que se enfríe.

Apriete las espinacas (sacar toda el agua que pueda), y se mezcla con el jugo de limón y el sumac. Añadir la cebolla con el zaatar, y el aceite de oliva. Ajustar la sal y el sumac si es necesario (tiene que ser salado y acido).

Despues que la masa de pizza ha subido de nuevo, pasele el uslero para dar forma, y pincele con una mezcla de aceite de oliva y zaatar. Coloque el relleno de Fatayer de Espinacas.

Cubra con queso mozzarella

Ponga en horno precalentado a 450F por 25-30 minutos hasta que se cocine. Yo pongo la pizza sobre una piedra de pizza a la que he espolvoreado harina de maiz.

DISFRUTE!!

Otras variacion de esta pizza es que yo mezclo mozzarella con el queso feta y añado un poco de aceitunas negras en la parte superior.

DISFRUTE!!!

Pizza with Spinach Fatayer Filling?......Yes....and It Is Delicious!!

Sumac

Lebanese cuisine is having more presence in our table. I have discovered not only fantastic dishes, but also new species that I'm using in different recipes. Two of this species that I am using more and more are Sumac and Zaatar.

When Jose Antonio posted his fantastic Spinach Fatayers, I told him that not only I love to make my own Spinach Fatayers, but I do make pizza with the Spinach Fatayer filling. Now he has made a delicious Spinach Tortilla with the Fatayer filling, for sure we will must try it!!

During winter days, Friday is a pizza day. Now that we are having a nice weather (and longer days!!), Friday is a fingerfood or "tapas" day.

Spinach Fatayer Pizza

Dough

2 cups of flour

3 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon of salt

3 teaspoon of yeast

3/4 cup warm water (more or less depending on the moisture content of your kitchen)

1/3 teaspoon of sugar

Cornmeal to dust the pizza stone

Mix 1/4 cup of warm water with the sugar and yeast. Let it foam (about 5 minutes). In another bowl, mix the flour and salt. Add the yeast foam, incorporate the olive oil, and gradually add the rest of the water. The dough has to be soft, but not sticky. On a floured table, knead the dough for about 8 minutes. Place the dough ball in a oiled bowl. Let it rise until double its size (about 1 or 1 1/2 hour)

When the dough is double, punch it down with your finger to release the gases. Let it rise again.

In the meantime, prepare the  filling the same way I did for the Spinach Fatayer.

Filling:
1 large bag of spinach (washed and chopped)
3 Tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon salt
1 red onion (chopped)

1 1/2 teaspoon of sumac
1 teaspoon of zataar
3 Tablespoon of lemon juice

2 tablespoon of Olive oil and 1 teaspoon of zaatar to brush the dough

Wash and chop the spinach. Sprinkle the salt over the spinach, and let it rest for 20 minutes to take the water out.

In a pan, heat olive oil and cook the onion with zaatar. Let it cool.

Squeeze the spinach (as much as you can), and mix it with the sumac and lemon juice. Add the onion with the zaatar, and the olive oil. Adjust salt and sumac if needed (it has to be salty and sour).

After the second rise, roll the pizza dough, and brusht it with a mix of olive oil and zaatar. Put the spinach fatayer filling.

Cover with mozzarella cheese

Put it in a preheated oven at 450F for 25-30 minutes until cooked. I place the pizza over a hot pizza stone that has been sprinkled with cornmeal.

ENJOY!!

Other variation for the same pizza is that I mix mozzarella with feta cheese, and add some black olives on top.

ENJOY!!!