Urmenjaci - Honey Dates

Neki sastojci iz moje kuhinje nadahnuli su me da osmislim recept za ovaj kolač, i mogu neskromno reći da je rezultat božanski. Sam ukus je spoj istoka i zapada, a začini kojima obiluje ostaju u ustima i podižu raspoloženje dugo nakon što je kolač pojeden. A ne, ne radi se o opojnim drogama!

Some ingredients from my kitchen inspired me to put together the recipe for this biscuit, and I can say quite boastfully that the result is divine. The taste itself is a mixture of East and West, and the spices keep lingering in the mouth and creating good mood long after the biscuit is eaten. And no, there are no drugs in it!

Sastojci:

Ingredients:

(mera je šolja od 200 ml)
2 šolje brašna
1 šolja sitno mlevenog badema
1/2 šolje meda
1/3 šolje ulja od lešnika
50 gr putera
prstohvat soli
2 kašičice začina Quatre epices (ako nema u prodavnici, lako ga je napraviti, mešanjem sušenog mlevenog đumbira, muskatnog oraščeta, karanfilića i crnog bibera)
1 kašičica mlevenog cimeta
1 kašičica praška za pecivo
Za fil: 14 velikih urmi i 14 sirovih badema
prah šećer za posipanje

(1 cup =200 ml)

2 cups plain flour

1 cup finely ground almonds

1/2 cup honey

1/3 cup hazelnut oil

50 g butter

a pinch of salt

2 teaspoons Quatre epices (mix of ground ginger, nutmeg, clove and black pepper)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

For the filling: 14 large dried dates and 14 raw almonds

Powdered sugar for the dusting

Urme moraju biti meke, u slučaju da su tvrde potopiti ih na kratko u toplu vodu i ocediti. Svaku urmu zaseći i izvaditi koščicu pa umesto nje umetnuti badem i zatvoriti.

Dates should be soft, in case they are not, soak them briefly in hot water and drain. Make a small incision on each date, remove the pit, insert an almond and close.

U činiji za mešenje pomešati sve suve sastojke, ostaviti samo pola šolje brašna za kasnije. Dodati puter i utrljati ga u brašno. Potom dodati ulje od lešnika i dobro izmešati.

Mix all dry ingredients in a mixing bowl, except for half a cup flour which you should save for later. Add butter and rub it in. Add the hazelnut oil and mix well.

Na kraju dodati med, izmešati, pa dodajući preostalo brašno rukom umesiti testo u činiji. Uključiti rernu na 200 stepeni i staviti peki-papir na veći pleh.

Finally add the honey, and adding the remaining flour, knead the dough in the bowl. Turn the oven on at 200 degrees C and line a large tin with baking paper.

Otkinuti komad testa, dovoljno velik da se obavije oko urme. Oblikovati ga u ruci i napraviti udubljenje.

Take a piece of dough, large enough to wrap it around the date. Shape it in hand and press in the middle.

Obaviti celu urmu testom, oblikovati u glatku veknicu i staviti na pleh.

Envelop the entire date with the dough, shape it into a smooth little loaf and place on the baking tray.

Svaki urmenjak probušiti čačkalicom, staviti u zagrejanu rernu i peći petnaestak minuta na 200 stepeni, dok blago ne porumene.

Use a toothpick to create small vents in each biscuit, place in a pre-heated oven and bake for approximately 15 minutes at 200 degrees C, until they turn slightly golden brown.

Urmenjake složiti na tanjir pa obilno posuti prah-šećerom. Sjajni su i topli, kada se urma u sredini topi a badem svojom hruskavošću razbija monotoniju, a i hladni, ako opstanu.

Place the honey dates on a large plate and dust lavishly with powdered sugar. They are fantastic when warm, with the melting date in the middle and crunchy almond braking the monotony, as well as cold, if they survive the temptation.

Alžirski makrut * Algerian Makrout

Makrut je tradicionalni slatkiš sa severa Afrike koji se obično pravi na Ramazan. Sadrži bogato punjenje od urmi koje mu, pored meda kojim je obložen, daje izuzetnu slast, pritom bez trunke šećera.

Makrout is a traditional delicacy from the North of Africa usually made for the Ramadan. Its rich date filling, beside the honey with which it is coated, gives it superb sweetness, without any added sugar.

Makrut se pravi iz tri faze. Prvo treba pripremiti fil od urmi, potom testo od griza, i na kraju 'šerbet' od meda u koji se pečeni kolač umače.

Makrout is made in three steps. First, the date filling is prepared, followed by the semolina dough, and finally, the honey syrup, in which the baked biscuits are dipped. 

Fil od urmi:

Date filling:

Sastojci:
300 gr. sušenih urmi
1 kašika putera
sok od jedne narandže
cimet i muškatni orah

Ingredients:

300 gr. dried dates

1 tablespoon butter

juice of an orange

cinnamon, nutmeg

Urme prvo treba razmekšati na pari. Staviti ih u mrežicu pa u šerpicu u kojoj ima dovoljno vode na dnu, ali da ne dodiruje urme. Poklopiti i pustiti da voda provri, smanjiti vatru i ostaviti ih tako dvadesetak minuta. Kada urme pod prstima budu dovoljno mekane da mogu lako da se pocepaju, izvaditi koščice i staviti urme u blender ili multipraktik. Dodati sok od narandže, kašiku rastopljenog putera, cimet i orašče. Sve dobro izmiksati. Ostaviti sa strane.

The dates need to be steamed first. Place them in a colander on a pot with enough water in it, however don't let the water get in direct contact with the dates. Cover and let it boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for some 20 minutes. Once the dates become soft and can be easily torn apart by fingers, remove the pits and put the dates in a blender or food processor. Add the juice of one orange, a tablespoon of melted butter, some cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix well. Save it for later.

Testo:

Dough:

Sastojci:

Ingredients:

350 gr. griza
35 gr. brašna
160 gr. rastopljenog putera
sok od jedne narandže
prstohvat soli

350 gr semolina

35 gr plain flour

160 gr melted butter

juice of an orange

a pinch of salt

Staviti griz, brašno i malo soli u posudu, dodati rastopljeni puter i umešati viljuškom. Potom prstima dobro 'istrljati' smesu, tako da se puter i griz sjedine. Masa je rastresita.

Place the semolina, the flour and the salt into a bowl, add the melted butter and mix with a fork. Then use your fingers to 'massage' the butter into the semolina, let it permeate well. The mixture is grainy.

Potom dodati sok od narandže, blago razmesiti i oblikovati smesu u loptu. Ostaviti ga u posudi i pokriti folijom. Poželjno je da odstoji oko sat vremena.

Then add the orange juice, mix well and shape the mixture into a ball. Leave it in the bowl, cover with cling film and let it rest for one hour, preferably.

Zahvatiti šakom oko petinu testa, razvaljati u kobasicu i spljeskati je. Potom napraviti udubljenje i u njega staviti fil od urmi.

Scoop approximately 1/5 of dough, form it into a sausage and flatten it. Then, make a 'canal' for the date filling. 

'Uštinuti' ivice i polako ih spajati, tako da testo potpuno obavije fil.

'Pinch' the edges and work them slowly toward one another, so that the dough covers the filling completely.

Ponoviti sve dok se ne formira pet punjenih 'kobasica'. Kako jednu formiramo, tako je stavimo u pleh obložen papirom. Svaku malo spljeskati i napraviti šare po površini, po želji, Za ovo postoje i posebni kalupi, ali može se improvizovati tupom stranom noža ili viljuškom.

Repeat the procedure until you have five 'sausages' with date filling. Once one is formed, place it onto a paper-covered baking tray. Flatten each gently, and make a pattern on the surface. There are special stamps for the pattern, however you can improvise with the blunt side of the knife or a fork.

Svaku rolnu makruta zaseći ukoso oštrim nožem. Peći pola sata na 160 stepeni sa uključenim ventilatorom.

Cut each roll of makrout diagonally with a sharp knife. Bake in the oven at 160 degrees Celsius with the fan on.

Šerbet od meda:

Honey sorbet:

Dok se testo peče, jednu šolju meda staviti u posudu sa toplom vodom da bi med razmekšao i bio tečniji. Ne koristiti ključalu vodu kako se ne bi uništili hranljivi sastojci u medu. Ako je med suviše gust, dodati par kašika vode i dobro umutiti. Pripremiti i žicu ispod koje je potrebno staviti papir.

While the makrout is baking, take one cup of honey and place it in a dish with hot water so that the honey becomes runnier. Do not use boiling water lest you ruin the precious nutrients.If the honey is too thick, add a couple of spoons of water and mix well. Prepare a wire rack and place some paper underneath.

Kada je kolač pečen, onako vruć stavljati po nekoliko komada u med na desetak sekundi, pa preneti pažljivo na žicu da se ocedi.

Once the biscuit is baked, place several pieces into the honey while they are still hot, leave to soak for ten seconds, and transfer carefully onto the wire rack to drain.

Kada se potpuno ohladi, staviti u kutiju i čuvati poklopljeno. Ukus je BOŽANSTVEN.

Once it completely cools, keep it in an air-tight container. The taste is DIVINE.