Title: Kasmay (Stuffed Cookies)
Categories: Sephardic Kurdistan Jewish Cookie
Yield: 50 Cookies

STUFFING (MAHAJUN
1/4	c	Sugar
2	ts	Ground cinnamon
1/2	c	Roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
1/4	c	Coconut slivers
DOUGH
1	pk	(1/4 oz, 7 g) dry yeast
1 1/2	c	Warm water
5	c	Flour
3/4	c	Sugar
3/4	lb	(3 stks) margarine, melted
1		Egg, beaten
2	tb	Sesame seeds

Stuffed cookies, sambusack, empanadas, or borekes are in several cultures for a baked or fried half-moon turnover. They can a delicate cookie size or plate size like pan-fried Kurdish Kadey Shavuoth. These Kasmay are filled w/sweet cinnamon, spiced peanut and coconut filling.

1. Mix stuffing ingredients together and set aside. (If there is extra stuffing it may be store in a jar with a tight cover.)

2. Dissolve yeast in 1/2 c warm water and let it proof for 10 mins.

3. Prepare dough. Mix flour and sugar together. Make a well in center and all at once add yeast mixture and melted margarine. Add remaining 1 cup of warm water, a little at a time, until you have formed a soft, easily handled dough. Dust with flour and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes. Cover dough in a bowl and let rise for 1 hour.

4. Punch down dough ball, then cut off a piece of dough size of a small egg. Roll it out into a circle on a lightly floured board to abt 3-1/2 inches in diameter. Put 2 ts nut stuffing on lower half of circle. Moisten edge w/water and fold top over, pressing top and bottom together firmly. Then press firmly all around edge with tines of fork to seal in contents. (Another method is to pinch and turn over entire edge of cookie.) Brush tops of cookies w/beaten egg and sprinkle w/sesame seeds.

5. Put cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake in a preheated 400F oven for about 15 minutes, or until they are a light tan color. Cool completely and store in plastic bags.

Recipe: "Sephardic Cooking" by Copeland Mark -- 600 Recipes Created in Exotic Sephardic Kitchens from Morocco to India -- Copyright 1992 Published by Donald I. Fine, Inc., New York, N.Y. D. Pileggi

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