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It’s Purim – let’s eat!
South Africans enjoy yeast dough Hamantaschen. Well, I definitely prefer them to the biscuit version. Their soft, delicious, bread-like texture makes them mouth-wateringly tempting. With all the wonderful fillings you get these days, it’s no wonder they just get more and more popular. Dulce de leche, jam, mohn (poppy seed), cheese, cinnamon and raisins, cranberries and apples, peanut butter, chocolate and halva, and my latest version; pear, ginger and caramel. Of course, being the butcher’s wife, a savoury Hamantaschen goes down well in our home. So here’s what I’m making to go with my leek and potato soup on Purim.
SHARON LURIE – THE KOSHER BUTCHER’S WIFE
TIPS:
Add a personal touch to your bought Hamantaschen: If you don’t want to make your own, order them and dip the ends in white icing (icing sugar and boiling water). While still wet, sprinkle with 100s and 1000s, chocolate vermicelli and sparkle sprinkles. Allow to dry and enjoy.
If you want to make your own in advance, allow dough to rise once, roll out, add filling and freeze immediately while still raw. Then, early on Thursday morning, allow them to defrost, double-brush with egg wash and bake.
SAVOURY DELI HAMANTASCHEN
INGREDIENTS:
SAVOURY DOUGH
6 cups flour
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2-2½ cups water
½ cup oil or non-dairy margarine
2 sachets rapid-rising yeast
FILLING
500g assorted cold meats, sausages and polonies, very finely chopped or shredded (cooked brisket doesn’t work well with this recipe – the smoked meats are better)
¼ cup hot dog mustard (I like All Gold)
¼ cup mayonnaise
egg wash (1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water)
DIRECTIONS
Place all the dough ingredients in a Mixmaster with a dough hook and knead until the dough leaves the sides of the bowl to form a ball (about 8-10 minutes). Challah dough texture is perfect for this recipe.
Allow to rise once until double in size then roll out on a floured board to ½cm thickness.
Cut into circles about the size of a side or bread plate.
Combine the mustard and mayonnaise. You can add a little sweet chilli sauce to your sauce or, if you prefer a little heat, add a tablespoon of regular peri-peri sauce.
Paint each circle with the mustard-mayo combination, leaving a 1cm border around the edge of the dough. This makes it easier for the dough to grip along the seams as you press the edges together when shaping into triangles. Too much sauce could make the seams a little slippery.
Fill with the finely diced meats.
Pull the sides up into a triangular shape and make sure the seams are well sealed by pressing them together with your thumb and forefinger.
Allow to rise again. At this point you may notice the seams separating. Press them together again, brush with egg wash and place them in the oven. They may open again while baking, but that’s all right as it will just crisp the lovely meat packed inside.
Serve with your favourite deli condiments.
SWEET AND SALTY PEAR, GINGER AND FETA HAMANTASCHEN
(with white chocolate, caramel and macadamia nuts topping)
INGREDIENTS:
DOUGH
4 cups flour
2 cups warm milk or water (not too hot as it will kill the yeast)
1 sachet rapid-rising yeast
¼ cup sugar
1/3 cup butter or oil
1 egg
2 teaspoons salt
FILLING
1 large can of pears, drained and finely chopped
¼ cup ginger syrup with pieces finely chopped
½ teaspoon ginger powder
¼ cup ready-made custard
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
DECORATE WITH
White chocolate, caramel (optional), a little extra feta cheese and macadamia nuts
INSTRUCTIONS
Place all the dough ingredients in a Mixmaster with a dough hook and knead until the dough leaves the sides of the bowl to form a ball. It may be a little more sticky than challah dough, so a well-floured board to roll and shape it is recommended.
Allow dough to rise once until double in size, then roll out on a floured board to ½cm thickness. Cut into circles about the size of a side or bread plate.
Combine the well-drained chopped pears, ginger syrup, feta and custard and place 2 tablespoons (or a little more) into the centre of the dough.
Pull the sides up into a triangular shape and make sure the seams are well sealed by pressing them together with your thumb and forefinger.
Allow to rise again then brush with egg wash.
At this point, if you notice the seams separating, press them together again, brush with egg wash and place them in the oven. They may open again while baking, but don’t worry as you are going to grate chocolate over them as they come out the oven, which will melt the chocolate. Optionally, drizzle with caramel and then the nuts.
- Sharon Lurie is a food consultant and writes for various local and international Jewish publications.