Walnut & Pistachio Semolina Ma’ammoul (Lebanese/Arabic Eid Cookies)
Recipe (makes about 40+):
500 g Coarse Semolina
500 g Fine Semolina
500 g unsalted butter or ghee
2 1/4 tsp Ma’ammoul Spice
1/2 tsp mahlep
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup orange blossom water
1/3 cup rose water
1/2 cup milk, warm
Filling:
3-4 cups walnut or pistachio, crushed
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp rose water
Directions:
Note: Ma’ammoul spice is ground anise, cardamom, and mahlep. Coarse Semolina, Fine Semolina, and Semolina Flour are different types of Semolina. For this recipe we use coarse and fine Semolina. If you can only find Fine Semolina then use 1 kg of Fine.
You have to pre-plan for this recipe.
In a bowl, add coarse and fine semolina with room temperature butter or ghee and rub the ingredients together between your hands. You can use half butter half ghee.
Once all the semolina is coated with the butter/ghee, cover the bowl well and allow it to rest overnight or at least 8 hrs.+
Once the semolina has rested, it will bloom a bit. Add the spices, mahlep, and powdered sugar. Mix well. Then add the orange blossom water, rose water, and warm milk.
Start to mix the ingredients together with your hand without kneading it like a dough, just mix it lightly until all the ingredients come together. Take a piece of dough and squeeze it between your fingers, if it comes together then it’s ready to use.
Divide the dough into about 40 balls using your hand to squeeze it together and set aside.
Prepare the filling: In a bowl, add the crushed walnuts or pistachio (you can make both kinds), sugar, and rose water. Mix well.
Grab a piece of dough and flatten it out with your palms. About 1/4 inch thickness. Add about a tablespoon of the filling and enclose the dough.
Using a Ma’ammoul mold or a cookie press mold, press the dough ball with filling to the mold. Tap it out to get a shaped Ma’ammoul. Then place on a baking tray. Repeat with the rest of the dough.
Preheat the oven to 375 F to 400 F (based on your oven) bake on the bottom rack for 15 min. or until golden at the bottom and then place on the top rack for 10-15 min. until golden on top. Remove and allow to cool.
Once cooled dust with powdered sugar. Tastes best the next day!
