All Easy Recipes. Cook all that you can cook. Almond-And-Sesame-Seed Pastry
(Samsa)
 
What You Need:            (Serving Size: about 2 dozen pastries)
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  • 2¾ cups (1 pound) blanched slivered almonds
  • 1 pound (about 3 cups) white sesame seeds
  • 1¼ pounds unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 20 sheets filo pastry, each about 16 inches long and 12 inches wide
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons strained fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon rose water

    • How To Cook:
    1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Spread the almonds and sesame seeds evenly in a large shallow baking pan and brown them in the middle of the oven for about 10 minutes, stirring them from time to time so that they color evenly.

    2. A cup or so at a time, pulverize the almonds and sesame seeds in the jar of an electric blender. As they are pulverized, scrape the mixture, into a deep bowl with a rubber spatula.

    3. With a pastry brush, spread about 1 tablespoon of the melted butter over the bottom and sides of a 12-by-8-by-2-inch baking dish. Brush a sheet of filo pastry generously with butter and fold it in half making a12-by-8-inch rectangle.

    4. Fit it into the dish and smooth out the pastry. Brush the top with butter and repeat with 4 more sheets of filo, buttering them, folding them, and placing one upon the other.

    5. Spread the top sheet of filo evenly with 1 cup of almond-and-sesame seed mixture, then add 5 sheets of filo as before. Spread another cup of the almonds and seeds over the pastry and cover with 5 more buttered and folded sheets of filo.

    6. Spread any remaining almonds and sesame seeds over the top. Then cover them with the remaining 5 sheets of filo, buttering and folding the pastry as before. Brush the top with melted butter and, with a sharp knife, cut the pastry into 2-inch squares.

    7. Bake the samsa in the middle of the oven for 30 minutes, lower the temperature to 300°, and bake for 30 minutes longer, or until the top is crisp and golden brown.

    8. Meanwhile prepare the syrup in the following fashion: Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.

    9. Increase the heat to high and boil briskly, uncovered, for about 5 minutes,or until the syrup reaches a temperature of 220° on a candy thermometer.Pour the syrup into a bowl or pitcher and stir in the lemon juice and rosewater. Cool the syrup to room temperature before using it.

    10. When the pastry is done, and while it is still hot, pour the syrup evenly over the top. Cool to room temperature before serving.

    		 
    		 
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