Original Recipe: al-Baghdadi p. 212/14 Take fine white flour, and with every ratl mix three uqiya of sesame-oil (one part oil to four of flour), kneading into a firm paste. Leave to rise; then make into long loaves. Put into the middle of each loaf a suitable quantity of ground almonds and scented sugar mixed with rose water, […]

Original Recipe (al-Baghdadi p. 214/14) Take fine dry bread, or biscuit, and grind up well. Take a ratl of this, and three quarters of a ratl of fresh or preserved dates with the stones removed, together with three uqiya of ground almonds and pistachios. Knead all together very well with the hands. Refine two uqiya of sesame-oil, and […]

Original Recipe Dulciaria Apicius, #294 Little home confections (which are called dulciaria) are made thus: Little palms or (as they are ordinarily called) dates are stuffed – after the seeds have been removed – with a nut or with nuts and ground pepper, sprinkled with salt on the outside and are candied in honey and served. [Vehling, pp. […]

Original Recipe Laganon Hesychius Dictionary[1] “Laganon: a type of small cake, dry, made from the finest wheat flour and fried in a frying pan in olive oil.” Ingredients: 1/2 cup unbleached flour 1/2 cup whole wheat flour 1/2 cup water (scant) 1/4 teaspoon salt Preparation Steps: Combine flours and salt in a mixing bowl. Gradually add […]

Ingredients: dates shelled almonds, hazelnuts or pine kernals (one per date) pepper salt 2 tbls honey Method: Stone the dates and stuff with the nuts and a little pepper. Roll the dates in salt and heat the honey in a frying pan. Fry the dates briskly and then serve.

Ingredients: 450g self-raising flour 1 tbls sweet white wine pinch aniseed pinch cumin 50g lard 25g grated cheese 1 beaten egg 12 bay leaves Method: Moisten the flour with the wine and add the aniseed and cumin. Rub in the lard and grated cheese and bind the mixture with egg. Shape into 12 small cakes and […]

Here is something sweet to round out the meal. Ingredients: honey sesame seeds orange flower water Method: Use equal weights of honey and sesame seeds. In a heavy skillet bring the honey to a very firm ball stage (250° to 256° F). Stir in the sesame seeds and continue cooking until the mixture comes to a bubbling […]

al-Baghdadi p. 206/12 Take spinach, cut off the lower roots, and wash: then boil lightly in salt and water, and dry. Refine sesame oil, drop in the spinach, and stir until fragrant. Chop up a little garlic, and add. Sprinkle with fine-ground cumin, dry coriander, and cinnamon: then remove. Ingredients: 1 lb spinach 1 T sesame oil […]

al-Andalusi p. C-5 (no. 377) Wash lentils and put them to cook in a pot with sweet water, oil, pepper, coriander and cut onion. When they are cooked throw in salt, a little saffron and vinegar; break three eggs, leave for a while on the flame and later retire the pot. Other times cook without onion. If […]

(An Anonymous Andalusian Cookbook of the 13th Century) Take a ratl of carrots, of which you have cleaned the interior. Cook it in a ratl of water, some two boilings, then take it off the fire and let it dry a little, over a sieve. Add it to three ratls of honey, cleaned of its foam, and […]