Hidden Treasure: Ba'aba (Date Pastries), from Clemence Horesh

Ba'abe [Date Pastries]

There are no so things as coincidences. That is the message behind the Purim story. Everything happens for a reason, and the driver behind those events is G-d. Interestingly enough, unlike in the rest of the Jewish Bible, G-d does not make a first hand appearance in the text of megillah (scroll) read on the holiday of Purim, and yet the story is cast as Chance Vs. G-d. 

Haman, the central villian of this tale, demands that all bow before him, the idol around his neck and the ring on his finger. When Mordechai, leader of the Persian Jewish community at the time, refuses the order, Haman becomes irate and determines to kill all the Jews. As has been historically true, these efforts failed, as the Jews celebrate our redemption with festivities and feasts.

     

The most famous of Purim foods is the ever popular and Ashkenazic hamantaschen, which are so named foe either Haman's ear or hat. In the Sephardic world, however, the key point that is celebrated in not the fall of Haman as much as it is the hidden nature of G-d. To celebrate this sweet realization, these wonderful cookies, with their mild crust, and their most, sweet date centers are enjoyed.

Ingredients:
For the pastry:

• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup warm water
• 2/3 cup semolina (a.k.a. pasta flour)
• 1-1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 10 tablespoons or 2/3 cup melted butter or dairy-free margarine

For the filling:

• 1 cup pitted soft Medjool dates
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 egg, beaten
• Sesame seeds to coat

Directions:

For the pastry:

1. Stir the salt into the water until it dissolves. 
2. Mix the semolina and the flour, then stir in the melted butter or margarin until it is well distributed and the mixture clumps together. 
3. Add the water and mix; the dough will feel very soft at first and then firm up. If necessary, add a tablespoon or two more water to make a smooth, soft dough, or a tablespoon or two more flour to firm it up. 
4. Wrap the dough in a plastic bag and let it rest at room temperature for 30–60 minutes or in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

For the filling:

1. In a sauté pan over low heat, heat the dates just until they are warm to the touch, then turn off the heat. 
2. Using your hands, knead the dates into the oil in the pan. 
3. When the filling is smooth and cohesive, roll the filling up into 16 tablespoon-sized balls with your hands, setting the balls on a plate.

Shape the cookies: 

1. Arrange the oven racks on the upper- and lower-third positions. Preheat the oven to 400°F.  Lightly flour a work surface and have more flour available. 
2. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper, or oil or butter them. Have ready the date balls, the beaten egg and the sesame seeds. 
3. Roll out the dough into an 18-inch-square. Using a 3- to 4-inch-diameter glass, teacup or cookie cutter, cut out circles of the dough. 
4. Put a slightly flattened date ball in the center of each and seal the dough around the ball. Pinching each pastry by the seal, dip the smooth half first in the beaten egg, then in the sesame seeds. 
5. On your work surface, with the seeded-side up, flatten each pastry into a 2-inch disk with a rolling pin. Punch a decorative pattern into the pastry with the end of a wooden spoon. 
6. Arrange the ba'abe on the baking sheet, leaving room for expansion. 
7. Bake for about 20 minutes or until light brown. 
8. Cool thoroughly on a rack, then store them in a sealed container.