August 2009

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Halawet el Jebn

Halawet el Jebn

 

 

This is basically white cheese usually the Lebanese Akkawi incorporated into semolina to create sheets, similar to a thin white cloth. The confectioners of Tripoli (Lebanon’s major northern city) excel in it. Halawet el Jebn has been their trade mark for centuries. I remember as a child that there was always excitement when someone brought us Halawet el Jebn from Tripoli. It can be tricky to make at home but not difficult when you get used to it. That is why I am suggesting a small quantity of ingredients to begin with, you can always double these later, it is worth practicing. The combination of cheese and semolina topped with Ashtah (clotted cream) and crushed pistachio gives this dessert a distinguished delightful taste.

Akkawi cheese is the ideal one for cooking, however, its high salt content means that it needs soaking in cold water, changing it several times to get rid of the saltiness. If Akkawi cheese is not available, use Mozzarella which is perfect because most of the brands have no or very little salt. The harder Mozzarella which is often used for pizza topping is ideal.

 

Serves 4

 

Ingredients

 

  • 1 quantity of sugar syrup (See recipe).
  • 250 g /  9 oz Akkawi or Mozzarella cheese
  • 100 g / 4 oz fine semolina
  • 2 tbsp of each orange flower and rose water

 

To serve

 

  • 100 g / 4 oz  Ashtah (clotted cream: See recipe)
  • 2 tbsp crushed pistachio nuts

 

You also need a non-stick, medium sized pan with thick bottom and a rolling pin

 

Method

 

  1. If using Akkawi cheese, slice it thinly before you soak in cold water for a few hours, (changing the water several times). Mozzarella does not require soaking but you need to slice it thinly.
  2. Prepare the sugar syrup shortly before cooking the cheese. You need to have the syrup slightly warm, so it would be easier to handle. Measure 60 ml / 2¼ oz and keep aside for adding later to the cooking cheese.
  3. Using low to medium heat, melt the cheese completely, you need it runny and no lumps. You do not need to stir at this stage but be watchful. Meanwhile, moisten the working surface generously with 3 tbsp of the sugar syrup.
  4. Next, stir the reserved syrup into the melted cheese and mix well. Once this is achieved, gradually, add the semolina, orange flower and rose water. This is where you need to stir vigorously and continuously until you get a dough-like mixture that binds together and pulls away from the sides of the pan. This is very fast procedure that takes only a few minutes. 
  5. Quickly and carefully (remember the dough is very hot), tip the dough into the working surface that you moistened with syrup earlier. Moisten a roller pin with sugar syrup and roll out the dough into a square (or rectangle) shape to a thickness of about 3-4 mm / 1/8 inch, (don’t worry if you don’t get it right because the toppings and especially the taste will prevent people from noticing any misshapes). Let it cool then cut into mini rectangles 5 cm x 3 cm / 2 inches x 1¼ inches. Arrange on a platter, try not to pile too many as they may stick (2 rectangle sheets are fine). If you are not eating immediately, cover and chill.
  6. There are 2 ways of serving this dessert. The first one: allow 2 sheets per person of Halawet el Jebn, put it on a plate, top it with Ashtah or clotted cream, sprinkle generously with crushed pistachio nuts and let people help themselves to drizzle the sugar syrup.
  7. The other way is to put about 1 tbsp of Ashtah or clotted cream in the middle of each rectangular sheet, roll it up so it looks like a roll, dust generously with the crushed pistachio nuts and serve passing the sugar syrup round.

 NB. Ideally, it is better to top or fill Halawet el Jebn with Ashtah or clotted cream just before serving. Halawet el Jebn keeps up to 3 days if covered with clingfilm, chilled and left unfilled with Ashtah.

 

The cooked dough

The cooked dough.

Coating the rolling pin with Ater.

Coating the rolling pin with Ater.

Rolling out the dough.

Rolling out the dough.

Cutting up the dough.

Cutting up the dough.

 

When I was reading the literature about clotted cream, I came across the making of Cornish clotted cream. What struck me is the similarity of the technique with the Lebanese one: Ashtah. I copied the following observation from the website of Roddas of Cornwall:

“It is said that clotted cream is made nowhere in the world save Cornwall, Devon and Lebanon – the art of cream-making being exchanged with the Phoenicians seeking Cornish tin as long ago as 500BC”

http://www.roddas.co.uk/roddas.html.

Like the Cornish clotted cream, Ashtah is used as a dessert filling or as an accompaniment to some desserts. Sometimes, it is eaten on its own topped with honey and nuts, such as almonds and pine nuts. In addition, the consistency or texture of Ashtah makes it suitable for the cooking process in some desserts such as Znood al Sitt (Lady’s Arms – small rolls filled with Ashtah and deep fried, then dipped in sugar syrup).

Like most clotted creams, Ashtah does not keep for long. Here is my home-made substitute version.

 

Makes about 450g / 1 lb

 

Ingredients

 

  • 600 ml / 1 pint whole milk
  • 2 thick slices of white bread (weighing about 120 g/ 4½ oz), crust removed and preferably one day old
  • 300 ml / 10 fl oz (½ pint) extra thick double cream or the same amount of crème fraiche
  • 1 tbsp of each orange flower and rose water

 

Method

 

  1. Tear the white bread and whizz in the food processor to make fine bread crumbs.
  2. Pour the milk into a medium sized pan with thick bottom, tip the bread crumbs into the milk and mix. Using medium heat, bring the mixture to boil, then let it simmer gently, stirring occasionally (to prevent any sticking), until the mixture becomes thick, this should take about 15-20 minutes. At this final stage, you can add the flavourings, give the mixture a good stir then switch off the heat.
  3. Transfer the mixture into a non-metallic bowl, let it cool completely, cover and refrigerate for at least a couple of hours
  4. When you want to use it, simply add the extra thick cream or crème fraiche to the mixture and mix well with a spoon.     
  5. This Ashtah keeps well for up to 3 days in the fridge.

 

You might think that there isn’t much meat in chicken wings, this is why we use them for mezza: they are eaten as appetisers rather than as a main course. However, if you prefer the chicken meatier, you can use drumsticks, they work equally well, but in that instance, they must be part-baked first in order to achieve thorough cooking. You can finish them under the grill or over the barbecue. This gives them that golden crispiness which makes them so appetising.

 

 

Serves 4.

 

Ingredients

 

  • 12-14 chicken wings or drumsticks.

 

For the marinade

 

  • 1 head of garlic
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

 

Seasoning

 

  • Salt & freshly milled black pepper
  • 1 tbsp sumac (optional)

 

You also need a good size roasting tin if you prefer drumsticks

 

Method

 

  1. Rinse the chicken pieces under cold water and dry by patting them with kitchen paper.
  2. Transfer chicken pieces into a non-metallic dish and season with salt and pepper.
  3. Prepare the marinade: peel the garlic cloves, add 1 tsp salt and smash to a paste. Add lemon juice and olive oil, season with pepper, (if you like to enhance the lemony taste, sprinkle 1 tsp of sumac to the marinade) and mix thoroughly.
  4. Tip the marinade all over the chicken pieces and make sure that every piece is well coated. Cover and leave in the fridge for several hours or overnight
  5. When you are ready to cook, if using chicken wings, pre-heat the barbecue. Cook for 15-20 minutes turning the chicken wings until browned, crispy from the outside and cooked from the inside. To test it, cut through with a knife and if the meat is still pink, it requires longer cooking
  6. If using drumsticks. Pre-heat oven to 200°C/ 400°F and transfer the chicken drumsticks with their marinade into a baking dish. Cover with the lid or aluminium foil and pop into the oven, let it bake for nearly 45 minutes, turning them once. Next, remove the lid or aluminium foil and cook for further 10 minutes after which the chicken drumsticks should be browned and crispy. Alternatively finish them under the grill or on the barbecue.
  7. Serve hot with Toumeh (Garlic Sauce – see The Sauces Section), or some people prefer it with Hoummous B’Tahineh (Chickpea dip).