by Poopa Dweck

A supply of eras b’ajweh is usually kept on hand to serve with tea or coffee to guests—particularly on Tu B’Shevat. Be sure to use Medjool dates—much of the flavor of this sweet depends on the quality of the dates. Avoid those with rigid meat or thick, tasteless skins. These sweets should melt in your mouth to reveal a soft, almost pudding-like consistency.

Ingredients

Dough

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup smeat (semolina)

2 sticks unsalted butter (1/2 pound) at room temperature

Dash of kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon rose water (optional)

Filling

1 pound Medjool dates, pitted

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1/2 teaspoon grated orange or lemon zest or 1/2 teaspoon orange blossom water

Confectioner’s sugar

Directions:

1. To make the dough, combine the flour, smead, butter, salt and rose water (if desired) in a large mixing bowl. Add 1/2 cup warm water, 1/4 cup at a time, mixing until well blended after each addition. Cover and set aside.
2. To make the filling, in a medium saucepan, place the dates in enough water to cover them. Bring the water to a simmer over medium heat, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook for 15 minutes, or until the dates are soft.
3. Remove the dates from the heat and transfer them to a medium mixing bowl. Mash the dates with a fork until a smooth, jamlike consistency is achieved. Stir in the walnuts and zest. Let cool.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
5. Pinch off walnut-size pieces of the dough and flatten them into two-inch rounds on a work surface. Place one teaspoon of the date filling in the center of each round. Then, with your hands, roll the pastry into a fluted shape with open ends. Turn the ends of the fluted pastry toward one another to form a acrescent shape. Cotninue in this way with the remaining dough and filling. Transfer the finished pastries to an ungreased cookie sheet.
6. Bake the pastries for about 15 minutes, or until only the bottoms are light brown. Make sure that the tops of the pastries remain pale. Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar just before serving.

Yields 48 cookies

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