January journal: Andalusian cookies

[ursula]

rugessnome asked me to post about "historical cookery (and unusual ingredients in it)".

This seems like a good time to post a redaction of some medieval Andalusian cookies! I found the recipe, from an anonymous thirteenth-century Andalusian cookbook, at Medieval Cookery.

The Preparation of Ka'k. Moisten fine white flour or semolina, according to the aforementioned rule, with oil or clarified butter, and it is more delicious and keeps better with oil, because clarified butter, when kept long, smells and becomes bitter. Pour in hot water little by little, and knead it until it is dry, and continue kneading it until it is supple and ripe, so that when a piece of it is taken and stretched [or possibly rolled] out, the stretching does not break it; and he who wishes may put in a bit of yeast, or leave it out. Then take of peeled almonds [p. 67, recto] and sugar equal parts, and the sugar could be more than the almonds; pound this until it is like a dough, and put it in a bowl. Add spikenard and cloves in the necessary amounts, and a little mastic, and some camphor dissolved in rosewater. Knead the filling with this until it is mixed; then grease a stone work surface with oil, and make a ka'k on it with the dough, and bury the filling inside it, in equal amounts. Then clear a place in the oven, far from the fire, and place the ka'k in it on a clean slab, and leave it until it is done and ready. Take it out and make various shapes from the ka'k dough, like what is called khushkalân in Bougie. The khushkalân is another kind of dish, which will be mentioned after this. Make filled qursas (round flat loaves), small and large, and forms of birds, gazelles and the like.

I made individual cookies, though the gloss as "Biscotti" on Cariadoc's page seems to suggest these could be double-baked. (I would like to have a gazelle cookie cutter!)

Here's how I made the filling. The balance of spices is good, but I made way too much filling. I think I might have halved the quantities in my notes, but it's still likely too much--fortunately, almonds and sugar will keep.

Ka'k filling

In a food processor, grind 1.5 cups almonds and 1.5 cups sugar. In a spice grinder, grind about a tsp of spikenard and, separately, about 4 crystals (perhaps 1/4 tsp.) of mastic. Add these to the food processor along with 1/4 tsp. ground cloves and 1 tbsp. rosewater, and pulse to blend.

Here's what spikenard looks like. Ours is really stale:




I used the dough recipe for Lebanese spinach triangles from Anissa Helou's Savory Baking from the Mediterranean, substituting untoasted sesame oil for olive oil. You can find that recipe Food and Wine; the cookbook version doubles the quantities, making it 2 cups flour, 1 tsp. salt, 1/4 cup oil, and 1/2 cup warm water. This recipe makes a soft, workable dough. (For a savory medieval recipe using the same dough, see Andalusian Feta Pies.)

I rolled the dough out very thin--ideally it should be translucent--and cut circles a few inches across with a cookie cutter. I scattered a spoonful of the almond filling on each circle, placed another dough circle on top, crimped the edges, and sprinkled a tiny bit more almond sugar on each cookie for garnish. Bake in a 450° F oven for about fifteen minutes, or until golden brown.

Here's what they looked like before baking:



And here's the finished version:



These come out cracker-like and somewhat crisp, with subtle sweetness from the filling. If you want a more clearly cookie-like cookie, I recommend experimenting with butter in the dough instead of oil. These might also be nice in a buffet spread with things like olives and cucumbers.