Egyptian Spinach Pie With Hazelnut Dukkah Recipes

EGYPTIAN SPINACH PIE WITH HAZELNUT DUKKAH CRUST

Steps:

• Make the dukkah: Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Pour the hazelnuts onto a baking sheet, then slip into the oven and toast until golden brown and fragrant, about 12 minutes. Pour the nuts onto one half of a clean kitchen towel, then fold over the other half. Rub gently to remove the skins. Pour the nuts onto a cutting board, finely chop and set aside.
• Set a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the coriander seeds and toast, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the cumin seeds and sesame seeds and cook, stirring often, until fragrant and slightly darker in color but not burned, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir the seeds with the hazelnuts, then coarsely grind with a mortar and pestle. Set aside.
• Make the pie: Increase the oven temperature to 400˚ F. Set a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and cook until melted and browned just a little. Add the shallots and garlic; cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes.
• Rinse the spinach. Drain, but don't worry about getting all the water off. Add the spinach to the shallot-garlic mixture in batches, stirring, until all of the spinach is wilted, 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in the dill and nutmeg; season with salt and pepper. Drain off any excess liquid. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
• Add the mozzarella and cheddar to the spinach. Stir well and let cool. (You can pop it into the fridge to hurry this along!)
• Place one puff pastry sheet in the bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish or 9-inch pie plate. Spoon in the spinach filling, using the back of a spatula to level it out. Layer the other puff pastry sheet on top, and then crimp the edges, cutting off any excess. Brush the beaten egg on the puff pastry and sprinkle with the dukkah spice blend. Put the pie on a baking sheet and bake until deep golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Sprinkle with the sumac. Let cool 10 minutes before cutting into the pie.

DEEP DISH CHERRY PIE WITH HAZELNUT CRUST

Steps:

• In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), cream the butter until smooth. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix. Add the eggs and mix. Add the flour and mix until almost incorporated. Add the hazelnuts and mix just until smooth, being careful not to over mix the dough.
• Form the dough into 2 disks and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill at least 2 hours or overnight. If the dough is refrigerated overnight, remove it from the refrigerator 30 minutes before using. Roll out both disks, cut them out a little bigger than the size of your individual baking dishes, and chill while you make the filling.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Drain the cherry juices into a medium saucepan; you should have about a cup of juice. Add the cornstarch, sugar, ginger, if using, and lemon juice, and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the cornstarch. When thickened, turn off the heat, stir in the cherries, and set aside to cool slightly.
• Divide the cherry filling among the baking dishes. Carefully place the rolled-out crusts on top. To decorate them, brush the surface of the crust with milk, sprinkle lightly with sugar and use a sharp small knife to make a cross hatching pattern, cutting one vent hole in the center. You may also cut out strips from the leftover dough, and make designs or cherries from it, and adhere them to the top with a little water. Then wash with milk and sprinkle with sugar.
• Place the pies on a sheet pan to catch any juices that boil over. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the juices are bubbling at the vents, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. Serve at room temperature.