HAMANTASCHEN-OZNEI HAMAN-Purim cookies

Purim is a Jewish holiday also known as the Feast of Esther. Jewish holidays follow a lunar calendar, so it usually falls in late February or early March (like this year: 2009 or 5769 by the Jewish calendar). Hamantaschen or the "pockets of Hamam" are one of the traditional treats made for Purim. These cookies are simple & can be made with any number of fillings (including any jam you like). In a hermetically sealed container they keep 5 days (if the kids don't eat them all) & can be frozen.

The basic recipe that follows is the one I've always made with my kids because it's very simple. This can be made in a food processor (metal blade) or by hand.

TIP: Any kind of butter pastry should be as lighltly kneaded as possible or it will harden.
Dough must always be refrigerated. This pastry dough requires at least 3 hours, so I often make it a few days ahead of time.

Pastry:
1 egg plus 1 yolk
4 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tsps baking powder
2 sticks of butter plus 4 tbsps
lemon zest

Beat egg & yolk. Set aside
Put dry goods in processor or large bowl.
Cut butter into small cubes & sprinkle over dry mixture. Either process or mix with a fork until the texture is crumbly.
Add beaten egg.
Blend until dough starts to form a ball. If still too dry, add a little lemon juice or water by the tsp.
Add zest.
Blend or knead into a ball.
Remove from bowl & flatten into a disc.
Wrap in plastic. Refrigerate.

Grease cookie sheet.
Roll dough out as lightly & thinly as possible.
Use a round cookie cutter or wine glass to cut out circles.
Put a heaping tsp of filling in the center.
Wet edges with water then pinch them towards the center to form a triangle.
Place on cookie sheet & refrigerate 1 hour.

Preheat oven to a medium-hot temperature.
Bake about 10 minutes or until golden.


Prune or dried fig Filling:
Blend the following ingredients in food processor or by hand.

1 cup pitted prunes or dried figs
1/2 cup raisins
4 tbsps walnuts (or other nuts)
4 tbsps jam (I prefer orange marmelade)