Main Ingredients:

See below ingredients and instructions of the recipe

Cooking Preparation of the Recipe:

2 Eggs 2 1/2 c Plain flour
2 ts Caster sugar 1/4 c Plain flour for kneading
1/4 ts Salt 1/2 ts Ground cardamom
1/2 c Milk Oil for deep-frying
4 ts Oil

-------------------------TO FINISH------------------------------
1 c Icing (confectioners') sugar 1/2 c Finely chopped pistachios
1/2 ts Ground cardamom (optional)

*Note: Pistachio nuts should be blanched. Optionally, same amount of
finely chopped walnuts may be used intead of pistachios.

Beat eggs until frothy, beat in sugar and salt. Stir in milk and oil.
Sift flour, add half to egg mixture and blend in with wooden spoon.
Gradually stir in remainder of flour, holding back about 1/2 cup.
Turn onto floured board and dust with some of reserved flour. Knead
for 10 minutes until smooth and glossy, using more flour as required.
Dough will still be slightly sticky. Cover with plastic wrap and
rest for 2 hours.

Take a piece of dough about the size of a large hazelnut and roll out
on a floured board to a circle about 8-10 cm (3-4 inches) in
diameter. Gather up dough on one side and pinch, forming a shape
resembling an elephant ear. Place on a cloth and cover. Repeat with
remaining dough.

Deep fry one at a time in oil, heated to 190 C (375 F) turning to cook
evenly. Fry until golden, do not over-brown. As dough is rather
elastic, the pastry tends to contract with handling, so just before
dropping pastry into hot oil, pull out lightly with fingers to
enlarge.

Drain pastries on paper towels. Sift icing sugar with cardamom if
used and dust pastries with mixture. Sprinkle with nuts and serve
warm or cold. Store in a sealed container.

Alternative topping: Make a syrup with 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water.
Bring to the boil when sugar is dissolved and boil for 5 minutes.
Dribble syrup onto warm pastries and sprinkle with cardamom and nuts.

From: "The Complete Middle East Cookbook" by Tess Mallos.
ISBN: 1 86302 069 1

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