Recipe of the Month: Maamoul (Semolina Pastry with Walnut or Pistachio or Date)    
Ingredient
* 2 kg of Semolina
* 1 kg of Yellow flour
* 3x500g pack of Butter (cooled slightly)
* Yeast 20g
* 2 cups of Granulated Sugar (to be mixed with the walnuts and pistachio fillings)
* 500g of Walnuts (Finely Crashed)
* 500g of Pistachio (Finely Crashed)
* 500g of Mashed Date
* 50cl of Rose Water
* 50cl of Orange Blossom Water
* 10g of Nutmeg powder ( to be mixed with the date fillings)
* 500g of Sugar Powder (to be served on topping)
* 1 cup of flour, all purpose

Remarks: This recipe needs to start a day ahead (It needs to be rest 10 to 12 hours)


Directions:

1) Cool slightly the butter.
2) Make the pastry by rubbing the Semolina flour and Yellow flour and the butter in a big bowl.
3) Add the Rose Water and Orange Blossom Water than rub melted mix with fingertips until it is like fine soft meal.
4) Cover bowl and let it rest overnight (for about 10 to 12 hours)
5) Sprinkle Rose water and Orange Blossom water over the dough and than rub lightly with hands to distribute liquid evenly and to make soft pie dough.
6) Dust Maamoul molds well with flour. Invert and tap gently to remove excess flour.
7) Estimate the amount of dough you need to fill Maamoul mold, and make a ball of dough, then make a hole in the center, press your thumb in it to make a little pot.
Before you fill the pot with the mixture, you should proceed as following:
7.1) Date filling: Chop up the dates and rub them with the nutmeg powder
Dates filling are used with a flat Maamoul mold, rather than the rounded variety.
7.2) Walnuts Filling: Mix well the Crashed walnuts with 1 cup of granulated sugar and sprinkle some rose and orange blossom water, until they go soft
7.3) Pistachio mixture: Mix well the Crashed pistachio with 1 cup of granulated sugar and sprinkle some rose and orange blossom water, until they go soft
8) Fill pots with the date mixture and others with the crushed nuts and pistachios.
9) Close dough around filling to cover it. For each pot, press the edges of the pastry. Level off cookie even with the lip of the mold.
10) Pull all the filled pots on a baking tray and cook them for 25 minutes until barely colored (do not brown).
11) Cool.
12) Sprinkle with sugar powder before serving.


                                                             Bon Appétit
Note: The Nutrition fact below shows figures belonging to Maamoul with dates and exclude those with Pistachio and Walnut