Egyptian Spinach Pie With Hazelnut Dukkah Food

SPICY EGYPTIAN DUKKAH WITH CHICKPEA FLOUR

Steps:

• In a heavy frying pan over medium-high heat, toast the chickpea flour, stirring constantly or shaking the pan, just until it begins to smell toasty and darken slightly. Transfer immediately to a bowl.
• Finely chop the peanuts and add to the bowl with the chickpea flour.
• One at a time, heat the coriander seeds, caraway seeds, dill seeds and sesame seeds in a small skillet over medium-high heat, shaking the pan or stirring constantly, just until each is fragrant and beginning to smell toasty. Remove from the pan and allow to cool completely.
• Working in batches, combine the coriander seeds, caraway seeds and dill seeds in a spice mill and grind to a powder. Transfer to the bowl with the chickpea flour and stir in the sesame seeds, salt, cayenne and sumac.

DUKKAH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place the hazelnuts on a baking sheet, and bake for about 5 minutes, or until fragrant. While the nuts are still hot, pour them onto a tea towel. Fold the towel over them to cover, and rub vigorously to remove the skins. Set aside to cool.
• In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the sesame seeds until light golden brown. Pour into a medium bowl as soon as they are done so they will not continue toasting. In the same skillet, toast the coriander and cumin seeds while shaking the pan or stirring occasionally until they begin to pop. Transfer to a food processor. Process until finely ground, then pour into the bowl with the sesame seeds. Place the cooled hazelnuts into the food processor, and process until finely ground. Stir into the bowl with the spices. Season with salt and pepper, and mix well.

SPINACH WITH GARLIC YOGURT AND WALNUT DUKKAH

Steps:

• Make the dukkah. Chop the walnuts very fine. Mix with the toasted sesame seeds in a bowl. In a dry skillet lightly toast the coriander seeds just until fragrant and immediately transfer to a spice mill. Allow to cool. In the same skillet toast the cumin seeds just until fragrant and transfer to the spice mill. Allow to cool. When the spices have cooled, grind and add to the nuts and sesame seeds. Add the nigella seeds, sumac, chili powder and salt and mix together. Measure out 2 tablespoons and store the remainder of the dukkah in a jar in the refrigerator or the freezer.
• Steam the spinach over 1 inch of boiling water until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes (or a little longer, depending on how much spinach you have in your steaming basket; you may have to do this in batches). Turn the leaves with tongs about halfway through the steaming. My pot of choice for this is a pasta pot with an insert. Remove from the heat, rinse briefly with cold water and squeeze out excess water. If desired, chop coarsely.
• Combine the ground clove, allspice, cumin and cinnamon for the spinach, and set aside.
• In a mortar and pestle, combine the garlic and a generous pinch of salt and mash to a paste. Stir into the yogurt. Set aside.
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a wide, heavy skillet and add the ground clove, allspice, cumin and cinnamon mix. Cook until the mixture begins to sizzle, add the spinach and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring, until the spinach is heated through and coated with the oil, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish and spoon the yogurt over the top. Sprinkle the dukkah over the yogurt, garnish with pomegranate seeds, if desired, and serve.

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.

HAZELNUT DUKKAH YOGURT DIP

Steps:

• Using a small, dry skillet over low heat, toast RawSpiceBar's Hazelnut Dukkah until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.
• Mix greek yogurt with salt and lemon juice. Sprinkle dukkah on top with a generous drizzle of olive oil. Serve with RawSpiceBar's roasted Egyptian spiced bronzini or pita chips.

AVOCADO HUMMUS WITH HAZELNUT DUKKAH

Steps:

• To make dip, process avocado flesh, chickpeas, sour cream, lemon rind, juice and garlic in a food processor until smooth, season to taste. Spoon dip into a serving bowl and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.
• For Dukkah: Roast the hazelnuts until golden and fragrant. Rub hot nuts in a teatowel to remove skins. Roast the seeds and spices seperately, until fragrant. Process nuts, seeds, spices and salt in a food processor until coarsley ground.
• To serve: Arrange the bowl of avocado hummus on a large plate or board with a pile of dukkah and serve with bread, crackers, biscuits or pita. Dip the biscuits in the hommus and then in the dukkah.

DUKKAH

Steps:

• Heat a small, heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat and add the sesame seeds.
• Shake gently until they turn a shade darker and give out a nutty smell.
• Tip them into a bowl.
• Repeat this process with the coriander and cumin seeds.
• Allow them cool and crisp up for a few minutes.
• Place the sesame seeds, coriander, cumin, peppercorns and salt in a clean coffee or spice grinder and grind finely.
• Finely chop the hazelnuts in the grinder, taking care not to over-blend them into a paste.
• Mix the finely chopped hazelnuts with the sesame seed mixture and the cinnamon.
• Store in an airtight container until needed.

DUKKAH

Steps:

• Grind together in a mortar or food processor and then eat with bread dipped in olive oil!