Pomegranate Molasses And Pine Nut Cookies Recipes

ROSEMARY PINE NUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Finely chop rosemary in a food processor. Add pine nuts, pulse until coarsely ground.
• Transfer to a large bowl. Whisk in 2 cups of the flour, the baking soda,ginger and salt. Set aside.
• Put butter and sugar in a separate bowl and with an electric mixer, mix on high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Mix in oil and reduce speed to low. Mix in flour mixture. Add cream and mix until well combined, about 2 minutes. Mix in egg and remaining 1/2 cup flour.
• Shape dough into 3/4 inch balls and space about 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Flatten slightly with fingers and top each with one pine nut. Sprinkle with sanding sugar.
• Bake cookies rotating sheets halfway through until edges are golden, about 13 minutes. Let cool about 10 minutes on sheets on wire racks. Transfer cookies to racks to cool completely. Can be stored in airtight containers up to 3 days.

TURKISH-STYLE LAMB BOREKS

Steps:

• Prepare the meat filling: Place a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and the butter. When oil and butter are hot, add onions and cook briskly, stirring, until onions are lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add lamb to onions and break into rough pieces with a wooden spoon, mashing occasionally, until lamb is crumbly and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Season mixture generously with salt and pepper, then add cinnamon, cumin, cayenne and sumac. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes more, stirring. Raise heat as necessary to let mixture brown well. Stir in pomegranate molasses, raisins and pine nuts. Taste and adjust seasoning, then set aside to cool.
• Prepare the cheese filling: Put feta and yogurt in a bowl and whisk together. Season with salt and pepper, whisk in beaten egg, then stir in parsley, fresh mint and dried mint.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Assemble boreks one at a time: Lay one sheet of phyllo on a clean work surface. Brush very lightly with olive oil. Carefully place another phyllo sheet directly on top and brush with oil. Fold this doubled sheet in half, to form a rectangle 9 by 14 inches. Position it so the 9-inch end is facing you.
• Spoon 3 tablespoons cheese filling over surface of rectangle, smearing with the back of a spoon to cover, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle 1/4 cup lamb mixture in a 2-inch ribbon along the edge closest to you.
• Fold over long sides of pastry an inch or so to help contain filling. Lift edge and loosely roll up pastry away from you, as if rolling up a carpet. Brush pastry lightly with oil as you proceed. The result should look like a flat cigar, about 3 inches wide and about 8 inches long. Continue to assemble remaining boreks.
• Transfer pastries to a parchment-lined baking sheet, placing them 1 inch apart. Brush tops with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame, nigella or poppy seeds. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until nicely browned. Serve warm or at room temperature.

BRAISED BACON, POMEGRANATE, AND PINE NUT RELISH

Steps:

• Stir cardamom in small skillet over medium heat until pods are lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Cool slightly. Crack pods; remove seeds. Crush seeds in mortar with pestle or in spice mill; reserve.
• Bring medium saucepan of water to boil. Add bacon and cook 30 seconds. Drain. Combine bacon and broth in same saucepan. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently until almost all liquid is absorbed, about 35 minutes. Wipe away any grease from pan. Add pomegranate molasses, then pine nuts, pomegranate seeds, and crushed cardamom seeds to pan. Bring to simmer; cook until heated through, about 3 minutes. Season with pepper.

POMEGRANATE MOLASSES AND PINE NUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• In the work bowl of a stand mixer, using the paddle, cream sugar into butter. Add the pomegranate molasses and vanilla and beat until combined.
• Add the dry mixture by thirds, beating on medium speed, until just barely combined.
• Fold in the pine nuts by hand with a rubber spatula.
• Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment or Silpats. Drop batter by tablespoonfuls, 2" apart. Bake in preheated oven 10 minutes or until golden. Cool 5 minutes on the sheets, then transfer to a rack until completely cool. Store in an airtight container up to 1 week. Enjoy with ice-cold milk.