Title: Oznei Haman or Hamantaschen (Cookies with (See Dirs))
Categories: Mideast Israel Dessert Cookie
Yield: 18 Cookies

FILLING
1	c	Poppy seeds; dried
1/2	c	Water, cold
1/4	c	Honey
1/4	c	Almonds; blanched, pulverize
		;in a blender, meat grinder
		;or mortar/pestle
2	tb	Sugar
1	tb	Lemon juice, fresh
1/8	ts	Salt
1/4	c	Raisins, seedless
1	ts	Lemon peel; finely grated
1		Egg
DOUGH
12	tb	Butter; (1.5 quarter pound
		;sticks)
2	tb	Butter; softened
1/2	c	Sugar
3	c	Flour, all purpose
1		Egg
1/4	c	Milk
1/2	ts	Vanilla extract; combined
		;with above milk
1		Egg yolk; beaten lightly and
		;combined with 2 tb of milk

Name; Cookies with Poppy Seed Filling

Place the poppy seeds in a bow, pour in enough boiling water to cover them by 1 inch and soak for at least 3 hours. To make the filling, drain the poppy seeds, spread them out on a paper towels and pat dry. Then pulverize them, « cup at a time, in an electric blender or with the finest blade of a meat grinder or with a mortar/pestle. In a heavy 1 « to 2 quart saucepan, combine the poppy seeds, cold water, honey, almonds, 2 tablespoons of sugar, the lemon juice and salt. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil over moderate heat and cook until the sugar is completely dissolved. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and cool to room temperature. Just before using, stir in raisins, lemon peel and the whole egg.

Meanwhile, prepare the dough in the following fashion: In a deep bowl, cream the 12 tablespoons butter and the « cup of sugar together by mashing and beating them against the sides of the bowl with a large spoon until light and fluffy. Beat in 1/4 cup of the flour and when it is completely absorbed, add the egg. Beating well after each addition, add 1 cup of flour, then 2 tablespoons of the milk and vanilla mixture, followed by another cup of flour, the rest of the milk mixture and all of the remaining flour. Gather the dough into a ball, cover it with wax paper or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. To make the cookies, preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F). With a pastry brush, coat 2 large baking sheets with the remaining 2 tablespoons of softened butter. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into a rough circle about 1/16 inch thick. With a 4 to 5 inch round cookie cutter (or pastry wheel), cut the dough into a s many rounds as you can. Then gather the scraps into a small ball, reroll and cut into similar rounds, continuing the precess until all the dough has been used. Oznei haman are traditionally shaped like three cornered hats. To form each one, place a heaping tablespoon of the poppy seed filling in the center of a round of dough and lightly moisten the edges of the round with a finer dipped in water. Join your thumb tips under the nearest edge in such a way the thumbs and index fingers will form a triangle when they are brought up over the filling until they meet above it. Pinch the top together tightly to enclose the filling completely. Place the cookies on the baking sheets, brush the tops with the beaten egg yolk and milk mixture and bake in the center of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until they are lightly browned. With a spatula, transfer them to a cake rack to cool before serving.

Note: Ozne haman are traditional pastries served at the Jewish feast of Purim, a holiday that celebrates the deliverance of the Jews from the Persian prime minister Haman who had plotted their annihilation. Among Americans and northern European Jews, they are known by their Yiddish name "hamantaschen" (Hamans' Pockets).

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Source: Time Life Series: Middle Eastern Cooking, "circa 69"

MMed by: earl.cravens@salata.com

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