Fall Dukkah Blend

Dukkah or as the Gazans call it Dugga. Is a blend of spices, grains, legumes, nuts, and sometimes herbs. It zaatar’s first cousin. Dukkah is often eaten with with pita bread. First you dip the bread in olive oil and then a dip into the dukkah mixture. Dukkah made its way to Gaza through Egypt where its also consumed. In Palestine it’s often sold with fresh bread or kaek (sesame Jerusalem loaves) wrapped in a newspaper cone. The word Dugga or Dukkah comes from the Arabic word ‘to grind’, referring to how this blend was originally made.

My grandmother makes her own blend, she grinds it into a fragrant powder that she will save in jars. She makes enough for the whole year and to pass out to all her kids and grandkids and possibly the neighbors. After spending precious time in the kitchen with my tita last summer and talking to my friend Dina who’s from Gaza I experimented with some ingredients mostly traditionaly with a few changes to create a tasty blend. I left my dukkah a little bit more coarse than usual so you can taste each of the ingredients but grind it the consistency you like.

The intense rich flavor from the toasted nuts, and the smoky, complex and savory flavor from the toasted spices and seeds make this blend irresistible that you’ll want to sprinkle over just about everything.

Fall Dukah recipe

1/2 cup raw hazelnuts (not traditional)

1/4 cup red lentils (wheat berries are often used)

1/4 cup coriander seeds

1/4 cup cumin seeds

1 tsp black peppercorns

3 tbls fennel seeds

1 tsp dried lemon peel (optional)

1-2 dried red chili’s (optional) stems and seeds removed

sea salt start with a tsp and adjust to your taste

3 tablespoons nigella seeds (sesame seeds are more traditional)

3 tbls sumac

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds roughly chopped (don't add them to the food processor they will turn into powder).

Tip: You would want to start with raw (not roasted) seeds and nuts that you toast and grind yourself to get the best freshest flavor. you can use a food processor or a spice/coffee grinder for as well.

Directions:

Heat a heavy skillet over high heat, add the hazelnuts, and dry-toast until slightly toasted and fragrant, being careful that they don't burn. Remove from the heat and cool completely. Once cooled rub them between your fingers the skin will fall right off. Repeat the procedure with each of the seeds and the peppercorns. Allow each of them to cool completely.

Start by adding the toasted red lentils to the food processor and pulse until u get coarse crumbs. Its best to grind each items separately to get the right consistency and not to overgrind otherwise you will get a paste. Process the hazelnuts down to the red chili’s in a food processor pulse to a coarse consistency; do not allow the mixture to become a paste. Place the ingredients in a bowl. Roughly chop the pumpkin seeds and fold in the nigella seeds and sumac. Toss the ingredients all together until they are well combined.

Store your mixture in a glass airtight jar. If stored properly it will last 6-12 months. I doubt it will last that long you are going to want to sprinkle it on everything.

Ideas to use Dukkah:

- Dip: mix equal parts olive oil and Dukkah and serve with warm bread

- Sprinkle on avocado toast

- Sprinkle on raw or roasted vegetables like in this fall dish

- Dip fruits

- On top of labaneh or yogurt

- As a spice blend to roast chicken, fish or beef

If you make this please tag us we would love to see your creations and ways to use Dukkah.

#spice #spiceblend #palestinianfood #gazanfood #spices #seeds #nuts #dukkah #dugga

Roasted Acorn squash with Dukkah drizzled with a tahini parsley sauce

The intense rich flavor in the dukkah works so well with the creamy and sweet roasted acorn squash. The toasted nuts, the smoky, complex and savory flavor from the toasted spices and seeds makes this fall dukkah blend irresistible that you’ll want to sprinkle it over just about everything. This is a perfect fall side dish. Serve it next to roasted or braised meats or on a bed of grains and greens and you got yourself a party of flavors. Its a great way to celebrate and eat what's in season.

Ingredients:

• 1 acorn squash, cut into wedges from top to bottom (don't peel) skin is completely edible

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 2 tbls dukkah (see recipe)

Sauce:

• 1/2 cup plain thick yogurt

• 1/4 cup tahini

• 1 garlic clove minced

• 1/4 finely chopped parsley

• Add water if you need to thin it out, one tbls at a time.

Directions

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper

• Place the squash wedges on the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss Witt your hands to combine

• Roast at 425°F for 30 -45 minutes, tossing the slices half way through until caramelized and fork-tender.

• In the mean time make the yogurt sauce by whisking together yogurt, tahini, garlic, salt, and parsley.

• Once your squash is cooked through toss with the dukkah mixture. I like to do this last as the dukkah spices have been toasted and we don’t want them to burn.

• Arrange your dukkah squash on a platter, set a bowl of the yogurt tahini sauce or drizzle a bit on top.

• This is a perfect fall side dish to go with your turkey, roast whatever you make. You can even serve this on a bed of greens it will be perfect.

#middleeastern #appetizers #vegetables #roastedvegetables #dukkah #palestinianfood #spiceblend #spices #acornsquash

Speedy baked Meat & Beets Sambousek

These savory and crunchy pies are super delicious and versatile. You will often find them part of the appetizers or mezze table at homes all over the Middle East. My family often made them around the holidays or for family gatherings. The filling is so versatile. You can make a vegetarian filling that my khalto (my moms sister) Naheel (whos an incredible cook) used to make them using peas, carrots, onions and potatoes. You can also make a cheese filling combining feta, halloumi and fresh oregano. Explore and find your favorite filling. I found that using puff pastry or empanada wrappers is super fast and delicious and this way I can make them anytime as my kids love to pack them for lunch and for an after school snack.

For the meat filling

(recipe makes 12 pastries)

• 2 tbls olive oil

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 1 pound minced meat (I used chicken) traditionally it’s made with lamb or lean beef such as Sirloin

• 1tsp allspice

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp cardamom

• Pinch of nutmeg

• Salt and pepper

• 2 roasted beets (small dice)

• 3 tbls toasted pine nuts

• 1 box puff pastry or you can also use Empanada wrappers for baking. They are often found in the frozen section at your store.

Tahini and Yogurt Dip

1 cup whole milk yogurt

3 tbls of tahini

juice of one lemon

salt and pepper to taste

1 clove of garlic finely minced

few tbls of water if you need to thin the mixture adding one tablespoon at a time.

Directions

For the meat filling, heat the oil in a large frying pan and sauté the onions until soft. Add the meat and brown while stirring. Add the spices, salt and pepper to taste, and pine nuts. Taste to adjust the seasonings. Add the beets and cook for 5 more minutes. Cool the meat mixture completely before using as a filling for the sambousek.

Preheat the oven to 350. Flatten the puff pastry with a rolling pin.

Using a round cookie cutter (2 inch) or a glass cup to cut out your circles. You can adjust the size to your liking. Mini bitesize Sambouseks are perfect for appetizers or as part of a mezze menu. Place a tablespoon of the meat filling in the center of your dough. Fold over and press the edges to make a crescent. Pick up the filled crescent, go back to the edge and fold over and twist to crimp the edges and give it a finished look. cut a tiny slit on top to let the air escape yielding in a crispy bite. At this point, you can freeze the filled sambousek for later use. Freeze them individually then wrap in a plastic wrap and leave in the freezer. Once you want to cook them don’t thaw bake them straight from frozen.

Line a baking pan With parchment paper and lay your pastries on top. Bake until the crust puffs up and crispy about 20-30 minutes. Remember the filling is already cooked we are just cooking the dough at this point and warming the filling.

Serve immediately. If you are making these for a party, you can assemble them in advance but bake right before you serve them.

I like to serve mine with a tahini yogurt dip.

#savorybaking #meatpies #savorypies #handheldpies #beets #middleeastern #mezze #appetizers