© 2010 Tony El Batal

dedicated to: Sara and Nehme Tohmé

serving portion: 2 persons

ingredients

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• 500g cooked chickpeas; for the recipe click here

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• 300g tahini

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• 25g salt

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• 5g crushed garlic

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• 3 lemon juice

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• olive oil

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• 1 tsp paprika

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directions

1. To prepare the chickpeas click here

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2. Puree the chickpeas with a hand blender then add the crushed garlic and tahini; mix and mash the whole thing again.

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3. Add the lemon juice gradually and mix.

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4. Serve it in a bowl; Using a teaspoon draw a shallow circle in the centre then drizzle olive oil; For the paprika strips dip a wet fork inside the paprika and draw the lines.

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© 2010 Tony El Batal

serving portion:  6 dozens (72 pieces)

ingredients

maamoul dough

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• 1kg coarse semolina

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• 1kg fine semolina (firkha flour)

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• 400 gr butter

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• 1 Tbsp yeast

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• 200gr sugar

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• 1 pinch salt

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• 1 cup rose water

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• 1 cup orange blossom water

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walnut filling

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• 1/2 kg walnut kernels

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• 1 cup sugar

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• 3 Tbsp all purpose flour

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• 50 ml rose water

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• 50 ml orange blossom water

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pistachio filling

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• 1/2 kg pistachio kernels

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• 1 cup sugar

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• 3 Tbsp all purpose flour

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• 50 ml rose water

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• 50 ml orange blossom water

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dates filling

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• 1 kg pitted soft date paste

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• 200 gr butter

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prepare walnut filling

1. Add walnut, sugar, flour, rose water and orange blossom water in a food processor and coarsely ground.

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2. Roll the walnut paste into 2.5 cm sized balls.

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prepare pistachio filling

1. Add pistachio, sugar, flour, rose water and orange blossom water in a food processor and coarsely ground.

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2. Roll the pistachio paste into 2.5 cm sized balls.

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prepare date filling

1. Bain marie the date paste and the butter until well combined and soften; let it cool.

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2. Roll the date paste into 2.5 cm sized balls.

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prepare maamoul dough

1. In a large bowl add both coarse and fine semolina, sugar, salt, rose water and orange blossom water; Mix well all the ingredients and let sit overnight.

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2. The second day add the Tbsp of yeast and let sit for another 2 hours.

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3. Roll the dough into 3 cm sized balls.

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illustrations

balls preparation

maamoul preparation

baking the maamoul

1. Preheat the oven on 140°C.

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2. Bake every tray for 10 min.

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3. Sieve icing sugar over the pistachio and walnut maamoul.

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reference

• Ibtissam Tohmé (mamina)

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© 2010 Tony El Batal

serving portion: 6 shooters

ingredients

tangy tomato sauce

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• 1 box of bolognese sauce

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• 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar

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• 1 fresh coriander

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• salt

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finishing

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• 6 tsp pine nuts, roasted

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• 6 Tbsp mashed potatoes

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• 6 tsp. olive oil

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• sesame seeds, roasted

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directions

1. Mix the tomato bolognaise sauce with balsamic vinegar, 2 pinches of salt and coriander branch coarsely chopped.

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2. In a vodka glass, pour 1 Tbsp tangy tomato sauce; 1/2 tsp pine nuts; then 1 Tbsp mashed potatoes.

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3. Finishing with 1 tsp olive oil, 1 pinch of salt, 1 pinch of sesame seeds and pine nuts.

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reference

• Les verrines du chef

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