by Gil Marks
Middle Easterners typically kept a box of ma'amoul handy for expected and unexpected guests. In the Middle East, halawiyyat (sweets) were not typically served as dessert at the end of the meal, but rather with coffee or tea (and today, also Asti Spumante) as a treat during the afternoon or late evening. Therefore, Middle Eastern Jews tended to use butter, an ingredient Ashkenazim rarely used in their cookies. However, oil was substituted for meat occasions. Ma'amoul are traditionally present, usually in a large selection, at Middle Eastern celebrations, including weddings and bar mitzvahs. Nut fillings are traditional on Purim (the nuts are a reminder that Esther kept kosher in the king's palace by eating seeds and nuts) and date fillings on Rosh Hashanah and Hanukkah.
(See also Klaicha and Makroud)
Ma'amoul are ornately designed Middle Eastern filled shortbread cookies served at many holidays, such as Rosh Hashanah and Purim, as well as at weddings and bar mitzvahs.
Middle Eastern Filled Cookies (Ma'amoul)
about 26 cookies
[DAIRY or PAREVE]
Dough:
2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 cup (6 ounces) fine semolina (not semolina flour)
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup samneh (Middle Eastern clarified butter), unsalted butter, or margarine
1 tablespoon orange-blossom water or rose water or 1½ teaspoons each
About ½ cup lukewarm water (80°F to 90°F)
Filling:
2 cups (8 ounces) walnuts, blanched almonds, or shelled pistachios, finely chopped
About ¾ cup sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons rose water or orange-blossom water
1 to 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (optional)
About ½ cup confectioners' sugar for dusting
1. To make the dough: In a large bowl, combine the flour, semolina, and salt. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles small crumbs. Drizzle with the orange- blossom water. Gradually stir in enough water to make a mixture that holds together. Briefly knead to form a soft, pliable dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for at least 2 hours or overnight.
2. To make the filling: In a medium bowl, combine all the filling ingredients.
3. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
4. Form the dough into 1-inch balls and, using a thumb or index finger, hollow out the balls to form thin walls. Or roll out each ball into a 1/8-inch-thick round about 3 inches in diameter. Fill with a heaping teaspoon of the filling and press the sides of the dough together to encase the filling. Place the cookies, 1 inch apart, on the baking sheets, flatten slightly, and make designs in the dough with a fork or knife.
5. Bake until the cookies are just starting to turn golden but not browned, about 20 minutes. Let stand for 1 minute, then carefully transfer the cookies to a wire rack.
6. When cooled, roll in confectioners' sugar to lightly coat. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 weeks.
Macaroon
Macaroon is a light baked cookie made of almond paste, sugar, and egg whites.
Origin: Spain, Italy
Other names: Italian: maccarone, ricciarelli; Ladino: maronchino; Yiddish: makarondelach.
Before the advent of chemical leavenings, the best way to create light baked goods was with beaten eggs, a technique developed in the Muslim world, possibly in Moorish Spain. Additionally, cooks in the medieval Islamic world created confections and cookies based on ground nuts and sugar: in Moorish Spain, the amarguillos (made from a paste of bitter almonds) and alhagues/alfajores (made from a paste of almonds, walnuts, and honey); in Iraq, the hadgi badam (made from almond paste spiced with cardamom); and in Tunisia, the guizadas (made from ground pistachios). Around the late thirteenth or fourteenth century, cookies made from almond-sugar paste and beaten egg whites spread to mainland Italy, probably by way of Sicily; the practice seems to have first appeared in Venice, the center of trade between Europe and Asia. Jewish exiles from Spain brought their almond cookies to Italy, introducing the concept to various ghettos.
Many names for almond cookies arose throughout Italy, but the most common one that emerged was amaretti (little bitter ones). Some date the term to the court of Saxony in the mid-seventeenth century, others to the early sixteenth century. The name indicates that the original amaretti, like most contemporary Italian versions, were made primarily or totally from flavorful bitter almonds and/or apricot kernels.
There is no single authentic amaretti recipe, as almost every Italian region, as well as many families, has a slightly different version, varying the amount of sugar and nuts, type of egg (whites, yolks, or whole), added flavoring (citrus zest, cocoa, and spices), crispness, and size. Standard amaretti are crisp cookies made from finely ground almonds folded into a meringue (a mixture of stiffly beaten egg whites and sugar, which was named for the German town of Mehringen), then baked. Versions made from almond paste (pasta di mandorle) and unbeaten egg whites, called amaretti morbidi (delicate/soft) by Italians, are softer and chewier due to a higher proportion of almonds. Flour or starch is sometimes added to meringue amaretti but never to the softer amaretti morbidi. The traditional way to present amaretti is to wrap a pair bottom to bottom in pastel-colored tissue paper.
The almond cookie was probably introduced to France in 1533, when Catherine de Médicis of Florence married the future Henry II of France, bringing with her a retinue of Italian chefs and Renaissance recipes. The word macaroon was first used in 1552 by the French satirist Rabelais (who may very well have coined the term, which derived from the Italian maccare "to crush") in a list of non-Jewish foods in his parody Gargantua and Pantagruel.
By 1660, recipes for macaroons had appeared in England. Subsequently, as Caribbean sugar became increasingly available, macaroons emerged throughout much of western Europe as the preeminent cookie.
Macaroons certainly became a Jewish food; almond paste cookies were mentioned in Italian Jewish sources beginning in the mid-sixteenth century and were possibly popularized among Italian refugees by Sephardic refugees. Because these cookies were flourless, they proved to be ideal Passover fare and were soon adopted by Italian Jews for the holiday and, following the typical pattern, eventually spread to Ashkenazim. The Jewish Manual, the first Jewish cookbook in English (London, 1846), mentioned, but did not provide recipes for, macaroons as well as ratafia, a small English macaroon made from peach pits or bitter almonds and flavored with ratafia liqueur, which was commonly used in trifles. A few decades later, the first American Jewish cookbook, Jewish Cookery (Philadelphia, 1871), included recipes for both almond and "cocoanut" macaroons.
Another early American Jewish cookbook, Aunt Babette's (Cincinnati, 1889), contained a recipe for "Chocolate Macaroons," which incorporated grated chocolate into a typical amond macaroon. At the time the book was published, chocolate was only initially being used in American baked goods.
In the twentieth century, as numerous new cookies and treats emerged, macaroons gradually became less prominent. Their popularity during Passover, however, not only remained, but also increased as manufacturers began to mass-produce them, initially in three flavors—almond, coconut, and chocolate. Coconut macaroons, which are much softer than almond meringues, eventually emerged as the most widespread type in America for Passover. Sephardim also make coconut macaroons, based on a crisper meringue, called biscochitos de coco. Today, commercial Passover versions come in cappuccino, maple- pecan, cinnamon-raisin, and rocky road. Generations grew up equating Passover dessert with macaroons. Although in America, Passover macaroons became associated with the cloying, chewy canned variety, the fresh baked ones make delicious treats.
(See also Almond, Almond Paste, and Coconut)
Sephardic Almond Macaroons (Maronchinos)
about thirty-six 2-inch cookies
[PAREVE]
1 pound (about 3¼ cups) blanched whole almonds
About 1½ cups sugar
Pinch of salt
/> 3 large egg whites (6 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon almond extract or 3 drops bitter almond oil
About 36 whole or slivered almonds (optional)
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease the sheets and dust with potato starch or flour.
2. In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, process the almonds, sugar, and salt until finely ground, then add the egg whites and almond extract and process until smooth. Or in a nut grinder, grind the almonds, transfer to a bowl, mix in the sugar and salt, add the egg whites and almond extract, and knead to form a paste.
3. With moistened hands, for each cookie, form about 2 tablespoons of the nut mixture into a 1-inch ball. Arrange on the prepared baking sheets, leaving 1½ inches between the cookies. If using, press an almond into the center of each cookie. Flatten slightly.
4. Bake, switching the baking sheets halfway through, until lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheets. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Mafrum
Mafrum is a slice of a vegetable that is slit, stuffed, fried, and simmered in a sauce.
Origin: Libya
Other names: mafroum.
Mafrum is shortened from the Arabic lahma ma- fruma (minced meat). It connotes a Libyan style of stuffed vegetables in which a meat mixture is sandwiched between layers of eggplant, potatoes, or large artichoke hearts. The mafrum are fried in oil, then simmered in a tomato sauce. During the long cooking time, the eggplant develops a velvety texture and the potatoes become airy. Mafrum have become very popular in Israel, where they are featured in various restaurants and even prepared by many non-Libyans at home. Eggplant was the more common vegetable in Libya, while potato has become widespread in Israel. Some families prepare half the dish of eggplant and the other half of potato. For dairy meals, a cheese mixture is substituted for the meat, but then it is technically no longer a mafrum, but rather a beitinajn mi'ili (filled eggplant). Tunisians make the "sandwich" in reverse, with the potato on the inside surrounded by ground beef.
Libyans serve mafrum on special occasions, typically accompanied with couscous, as an appetizer, side dish, or sometimes the main course. Mafrum, representing the biblical manna that fell between lower and upper layers of dew, is served by Libyan Jews on Friday night and holidays. In Libya, it was typically started over a fire on Friday before the onset of the Sabbath, then set in the coals of a kanoun (brazier), covered with special bulky blankets, and served warm for Friday dinner. In Israel, it is typically placed on a large hot plate called a platta to keep warm for the Sabbath.
Libyan Meat-Stuffed Eggplant (Mafrum)
5 to 6 servings
[MEAT]
2 medium (about 1¼ pounds each) globe eggplants, peeled and cut crosswise into ½- to ¾-inch-thick slices
About 2 tablespoons kosher salt
Filling:
1 pound ground beef or lamb
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
2 large eggs
¼ cup matza meal or ½ cup mashed potatoes
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or cilantro
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon or cumin
About ½ teaspoon table salt or 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Ground black pepper to taste
All-purpose flour for dredging
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Matza meal or bread crumbs for dredging (optional)
Vegetable oil for frying
Sauce:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
¼ cup tomato paste
3 cups water
Pinch of sugar
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
2 large tomatoes, sliced (optional)
1. Place the eggplant slices in a colander or on a wire rack, lightly sprinkle with the kosher salt, and let stand for about 1 hour. Rinse the eggplant under cold water, then press repeatedly between several layers of paper towels until it feels firm and dry. The eggplant can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 hours.
2. Cut a lengthwise pocket three-quarters of the way through the eggplant slices, leaving one end connected.
3. To make the filling: In a large bowl, combine the filling ingredients.
4. Stuff the filling into the pockets, making about a ½-inch-thick layer. Dredge the sandwiches in flour, then dip in the egg. If using, dredge in the matza meal.
5. In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add the sandwiches and fry, turning once, until golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
6. To make the sauce: In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste and sauté until darkened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the water, sugar, salt, and, if using, cinnamon. Bring to a boil.
7. If using, arrange the tomato slices and any extra eggplant on the bottom of the pot in the sauce. Add the eggplant sandwiches, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until tender, about 1 hour. If the sauce looks like it is drying out, add a little more water. Serve warm.
Mahlab
Mahlab, alternately spelled mahleb and mahaleb, is a yellowish western Asian spice, made by grinding the soft seed kernels of a wild cherry, sometimes called the St. Lucie cherry, a member of the rose family. The cherry's name, related to the Hebrew and Arabic words for milk (halev), is that of a town in Lebanon mentioned twice in the Bible, which was probably the primary source of the spice. Mahlab has a sour-sweet, almond-cherry-like flavor akin to that of bitter almonds. It is primarily used in Iranian, Turkish, Syrian and Lebanese baked goods, most notably a bread ring called kaak. The essential oils dissipate soon after grinding and, therefore, the dried whole kernels are best crushed as needed. Ground mahlab should be sifted before it is used, as it tends to clump. Mahlab is sold in Middle Eastern specialty stores.
Mahmoosa
Mahmoosa is a dish of stir-fried vegetables bound in scrambled eggs.
Origin: India
Other names: Mamoosa.
In her 2004 play, Calcutta Kosher, Calcutta-born English writer Shelley Silas examined family and cultural identity, mentioning several classic Indian Jewish dishes, including aloo makalla, chiturney, and mahmoosa. The author noted, "The food I eat forms part of my cultural identity." Mahmoosa is an Indian Jewish adaptation of a Middle Eastern dish. Potato is the most popular vegetable, but variations are also commonly made with spinach and eggplant. A version containing beet greens or spinach is traditional on Rosh Hashanah. Mahmoosa is served both as a light meal, accompanied with warm bread, or as a side dish with chicken.
Calcutta Scrambled Eggs with Potatoes (Mahmoosa)
4 to 6 servings
[PAREVE]
3 tablespoons vegetable oil or peanut oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 to 3 teaspoons minced fresh ginger (optional)
1 green chili, minced (optional)
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 pound (3 large) potatoes, peeled and cut into ¼-inch cubes
½ cup fresh green peas (optional)
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
About ½ teaspoon table salt or 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Ground black pepper to taste
Lemon slices or chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
1. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and, if using, ginger and/or chili and sauté until softened, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in the turmeric.
2. Add the potatoes and sauté until golden brown, about 5 minutes. If using, add the peas. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes. If the potatoes start to stick, add a little water and continue cooking.
3. Add the eggs, salt, and pepper and stir until dry, about 5 minutes. Serve warm or coole
d. Garnish with lemon slices.
Makagigi
Makagigi are candied almonds or walnuts.
Origin: Poland
Other names: gebrennte mandlen.
In her 1877 novella "Mighty Samson," non-Jewish Polish writer Eliza Orzeszkowa vividly describes Purim in the Polish town of Ongród. Shymshel, a poor, pious, and provincial Jew, performs the role of Samson in a Purim play and recites this line: "In the dark and misty depths of this corridor, a buffet, illuminated by a tallow candle, had been set up bearing an impressive abundance of sticky and mildly alluring sweets, makagigi, slightly spoiled apples, and so on."
These treats from Poland are reminiscent of the pecan pralines of the American South. The proportions of honey and sugar vary among recipes. Makagigi can also be made with poppy seeds as well as nuts.
Makosh/Mákos Beigli
Makosh is a cakelike yeast roll with a poppy seed filling.
Origin: Central Europe
Other names: Germany: mohn kuchen; Hungary: mákos beigli; Poland: makowiec.
Kuchen rolls are very popular in central and eastern Europe; they probably originated as a means of transforming some extra bread dough into a special treat for the family. The yeast dough was rolled into a thin rectangle, spread with a sweet filling, and rolled into a cylinder jelly-roll style. The original cake rolls were commonly filled with the most popular medieval central European spice, poppy seeds (mohn in German and mák in Hungarian), and the name of the rolls became simply makosh in Hungary. Hungarians also made a filling from ground walnuts (diós). Poles and Germans generally spread the dough with a thicker layer of filling and let the shaped roll rise to produce thicker cake layers. Hungarians tended to roll out the dough very thin and to not allow it to rise, instead rushing it directly into the oven; the resulting pastry had very thin cake layers alternating with thin layers of filling, akin to the layers in a yeast strudel.
In the early American cookbook Aunt Babette's (Cincinnati, 1889), the German Jewish author included a recipe for "Mohn Kuchen (Poppy Seed)." The first edition of The Settlement Cook Book (Milwaukee, 1901), also by a German Jewish author, included a recipe for "Poppy Seed Roll or Mohn Kuchen."
