atayef
March has been a hectic month for me — I was invited by the vegetable breeding company Rijk Zwaan for three PlantAsia events in Germany and the Netherlands. In line with the company’s goal to stimulate vegetable consumption, I gave presentations on how we can shift people’s perceptions of vegetables from being a healthy obligation to a pleasure. These were accompanied with three tasting bites to illustrate the flavour compass from the book. We ended the day with cooking workshops and a completely vegetarian feast! Getting to meet new people, share my ideas, and cook communally with them is definitely one of my favourite parts of being a cookbook writer.
Elsewhere in Washington D.C., the indie bookstore Bold Fork Books selected PlantAsia for their March cookbook club. Participants selected a dish from the book to cook, and everyone gathered at the bookstore with their dish for a large-scale potluck! Over the meal, everyone discussed the process of procuring ingredients, challenges, and pleasures of the cooking process and of reading/ using the book. Even though I couldn’t be there in person, it was incredible seeing the spread that everyone put together. Thank you Bold Fork Books for being such a champion of PlantAsia!
In non-PlantAsia-related news, today marks Eid al-Fitr, the final day of Ramadan, where Muslims worldwide celebrate the breaking of the fast. In that spirit, I thought I’d share a recipe for a special dessert that is intimately associated with Ramadan and is traditionally served to break the fast: atayef.
Atayef is a traditional Middle Eastern dessert which dates back centuries. It begins with a risen pancake — traditionally this is yeasted, though modern recipes use baking powder for ease and speed. Upon hitting a hot pan, hundreds of tiny holes form on the surface of the batter. Because atayef batter is remarkably thin compared to that of an American pancake, gluten development is minimal, so what you get is a very spongy crumb instead of a fluffy, chewy one. Even when cooled, these pancakes stay soft, which makes them perfect for stuffing and folding.
Sweetened cream or ricotta is smeared onto the pancakes. A small handful of crushed pistachio mixed into the filling is Wex’s idea, but makes a world of difference; it adds texture and nuttiness to every bite. The pancakes are half-sealed and the exposed filling is then dipped into crushed pistachio, so that it bears visual resemblance to Sicilian cannoli. The similarities might not be coincidental; after all, the island of Sicily was under Muslim rule from 827-1091 and was exposed to Arab culinary traditions.
What makes the dessert, in my opinion, is the rosewater syrup which the pancakes are dipped into or drizzled with. I skip the orange blossom syrup that is present in some recipes because I just don’t like the way it smells. Whatever you do, don’t skip the rosewater — rosewater and pistachio is one of my favourite combinations, and just a drizzle heightens the sensuality and evocativeness of this dessert.
Atayef
Adapted from Karima-Chloe Hazim’s recipe
Makes approximately 20 pancakes
For the pancakes:
160g flour
55g fine semolina
30g sugar
15g baking powder
400g warm water
For the filling:
60g fine semolina
220g water
180g cream (35% fat)
60g sugar
500g ricotta
2 tsp rosewater, or to taste
For the syrup:
265g sugar
160g water
2 tsp rosewater, or to taste
2 tsp lemon juice
For the assembly:
150g shelled salted pistachio
Make the pancake batter: In a blender, combine all the ingredients and blitz until smooth. The batter should be very thin. Allow the batter to rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
Make the filling: In a medium saucepan, combine the semolina, water, cream, and sugar. Cook on medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture begins to bubble and thickens. Simmer for a further minute, then turn off the heat and whisk in the ricotta and rosewater. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool down completely.
Make the syrup: In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Bring to a boil and allow to boil for a few further minutes to thicken the syrup. Turn off the heat and stir in the rosewater and lemon juice. Set aside.
Fry the pancakes: Set a non-stick pan over high heat. When hot, pour 2 tablespoons of batter into the pan and cook until bubbles appear and there are no more moist spots. Remove the pancake from the pan with an offset spatula and set on a large plate to cool down. Cover the pancake with a clean tea towel while you fry the rest of the pancakes.
Prepare the pistachio: Grind the pistachios into a coarse rubble using a mortar and pestle (about the size of the ground nuts on a cornetto). Remove 50g of the pistachios and stir this into the filling mixture. Grind the remaining pistachios to a slightly finer powder, still retaining some texture.
Assemble the dessert: Place 3 tablespoons of filling on the hole-covered side of each pancake. Spread the filling roughly, then fold the pancake into a half-moon. Pinch along the seam on the right side to seal, leaving the other half open with the cream exposed. The cream should help the seam stick; if needed, dab a little extra cream along the edge as glue. Dip the cream-exposed side into the ground pistachios. Repeat with the remaining pancakes. Serve chilled or at room temperature, with the syrup on the side for dipping the pancakes into or generously drizzled over the top.
