Pascale's Kitchen: Barrage of baking

The war is still raging on and, unfortunately, there seems to be no end in sight. As for me, I’m taking refuge in my favorite place – the kitchen. I’ve gone on the defensive with a barrage of baking, mostly cookies.

More specifically, these are cookies that I recall from my childhood – simple savory cookies that bring back warm memories of cold nights with my family.

Learn more about Pascale's Kitchen here>>

This week, I’ve chosen two recipes for savory, extra-crunchy cookies. One of my preferred comfort foods, these are perfect for nibbling when you’re sitting at the table with a good friend who has come over for a mug of strong black coffee or a cup of hot verbena tea.

May the days ahead bring us tranquility and peace.

Savory Abadi Cookies

Makes 20 cookies

• 1 cup white flour, sifted
• 1 heaping tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. salt
• ¼ cup sesame seeds
• ¼ cup canola oil, olive oil, or melted margarine
• ¼ cup cold water or soda water

Add the flour, baking powder, salt, sesame seeds, oil or margarine, and water in a medium-size bowl. Mix well.

Flour your work surface, and place the dough on it. Knead the dough for a few minutes until it’s pliable. If the dough is too sticky, you can add a little more flour. If it’s too dry, you can add 1 or 2 tablespoons of water.

Take a bit of the dough and roll it out into a log shape on your work surface. Cut the log into pieces that are 8 or 10 cm. long, depending on how big you want the cookies to be. Form each log into a circle, then press the ends together.

Arrange the dough circles on a tray covered with baking paper, and bake in an oven that has been preheated to 180° for 15-20 minutes, until they’ve turned golden brown. If you want the cookies to be extra crunchy, turn the temperature of the oven down to 100° as soon as they start browning, and continue baking them for another 15-20 minutes, depending on how crunchy you want them to be.

Remove the tray from the oven, and let them cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Level of difficulty: EasyTime: 1 hourStatus: Parve

Salty Sesame Cookies

Makes 45-50 cookies

• 1 kg. flour, sifted
• 200 gr. sesame seeds
• 3 tsp. salt
• 3 tsp. sugar
• 2 packets baking powder
• 2 tsp. ground caraway seeds
• ¾ cup oil
• 50 gr. margarine, softened
• 2 ½ cups water, at room temperature

Toppings:

• 1 egg, beaten
• ½ cup sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 180°.

Add the flour, sesame seeds, salt, sugar, baking powder, and caraway in a large bowl and mix.

While kneading the dough, gradually add a little bit of the oil, melted margarine, and the water, alternating among the three liquids. Knead the dough until it falls away from the side of the bowl. Let the dough rest for 1.5 hours.

Grease a flat baking tray. Take a bit of the dough and form circles with a 3 or 4 cm. diameter, or make log-shaped cookies that are 12-15 cm. long.

Arrange the cookies on a baking sheet with space in between them. Brush with the beaten egg, then sprinkle sesame seeds on top. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until they turn golden brown. Let them cool completely, then store in an airtight container.

Level of difficulty: MediumTime: Around 2.5 hours, depending on time needed to let the dough rise.Status: Parve

Translated by Hannah Hochner.