Name: Nut Parcels (Mtabbaq)
Yield: Makes 10–12 parcels
Cuisine: Palestine
Ingredients: Qatir (use a simple syrup with a 1-to-1 ratio of sugar to water) or honey for drizzling; 1¼ cups (300 milliliters) water; ¼ teaspoon salt; 2 tablespoons sugar; 3 cups (380 grams) pastry flour; 1 teaspoon cinnamon; 1 tablespoon sugar; 1 cup (100 grams) almonds or walnuts, finely chopped; 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; ¼ cup (60 grams) ghee or butter, as needed; 1 teaspoon orange-blossom water

Preparation info

Makes
10–12
parcels

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

The Gaza Kitchen

By Laila El-Haddad and Maggie Schmitt

Published 2021

About

In Gaza, this traditional pastry is typically filled with nuts; in the West Bank sweet cheese is used instead. Although the dough is unleavened, it needs a rest period to relax the gluten.

Ingredients

3 cups (380 grams) pastry flour
2 tablespoons sugar</

Method

Preheat oven to 375°F (200°C).

Mix the flour, sugar, and salt, then gradually knead the dough in water just until it becomes elastic. Divide the dough into egg-sized balls and set them aside for 20 minutes on a greased cookie sheet.

Mix the nuts with the sugar, cinnamon