NALWO presents an

Armenian
Cooking Demonstration

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Chez Leon
10:30 a.m - 1 p.m.

Pauline Berberian, organizer and recipe source,

assisted by Susan Kayser, Rose Moore and Mady Newfield
 Appetizers and Salads
Jajik (Cucumber salad)

Ingredients:
4 cups cucumbers, finely chopped
3 cups Madzoon (yogurt, Greek style)
3 teaspoons mint leaves (fresh if possible), chopped
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon sugar
1 clove garlic, mashed

Mix all ingredients and chill.

Serves 9.

Babaganosh (Eggplant dip)

Ingredients:
2 eggplants
2 tablespoons Taheen (tahini – i.e. sesame seed paste)
1 teaspoon cumin
Juice of 1 fresh lemon
1 garlic clove, mashed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Pinch red pepper

Bake the eggplant or roast on a gas burner till skin is blackened and insides are soft. Cool, cut in
half, and scoop out insides.
Add all remaining ingredients and blend.
Serve in a flat dish, dribbled with olive oil and sprinkled with paprika.

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Lahmajoon (Flatbreads)
PASTRY:
2 1/4 cups sifted flour
1 package dry yeast
3/4 cup warm water
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup oil

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water.

Add all the ingredients except the oil. The dough should be softer than pie dough.
Using the oil on your hands, knead the dough for 15 minutes.
Cover dough and let rise for 2 to 3 hours.
Divide into 12 small balls and roll flat like pie dough.
(Pauline’s advice: she cheats and uses flour tortillas!)

FILLING:
1 pound ground lamb
2 cups onions, chopped fine
1/2 cup chopped Italian curly leaf parsley (leaves only)
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped fine
1 teaspoon dry mint
1/2 clove garlic, chopped fine
1/2 small can tomato paste
1/2 small can whole tomatoes, drained, and chopped fine or 3 medium fresh tomatoes,
chopped fine
1 teaspoon salt
Scant 1/8 teaspoon red pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Mix all filling ingredients and knead.

Spread mixture, pushing it into the dough.
Bake on a cookie sheet at 450˚F for 15 minutes, till meat is cooked. If you use tortillas, only 6 to
7 minutes baking is needed.
These can be frozen with meat sides together layered with wax paper. Reheat for 4 to 5
minutes in a hot oven.
Serve warm with fresh lemon juice or roasted eggplant and lemon juice.
Makes 12.

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Beoreg (Savory Pastries)
DOUGH AND BASIC INSTRUCTIONS:
1 pkg kadayif dough or phyllo dough (comes frozen)
1 pound salted butter, clarified, or prepared ghee

How to clarify butter

Melt 1 pound salted butter in a sauce pan, set aside for 1/2 hour
Skim off the foam and milk solids, i.e. white material on the surface, leaving only the clear liquid
underneath.
Pour the butter into a container but let any watery part remain in the sauce pan.
The quantity will be reduced by 25%.
Ghee is clarified butter which is then cooked longer, so it has a slightly different taste.
For a step by step explanation with photos, go to
http://culinaryarts.about.com/od/culinaryfundamentals/ss/clarifiedbutter.htm

To construct the Beoreg:

Use the clarified butter throughout this recipe.
Unwrap and unfold the thawed dough and cut with scissors to pieces that fit the size of the pan
you will use. Generally a square or rectangular baking pan is best.
If using phyllo dough, cover it with a damp cloth while it is sitting on the side.
Brush the bottom of the baking pan generously with butter.
Add a layer of kadayif dough or phyllo dough to the pan; brush it generously with butter.
Spread the filling mixture evenly over the dough.
Add another layer of dough; brush it generously with butter.
Before baking, use a sharp knife to cut the beoreg into 3 inch squares and then cut those in half
diagonally to form triangles.
Bake at 400˚F for 20‐25 minutes till brown.
Remove from the oven and immediately drain off any excess butter.

CHEESE FILLING:
1 1/4 pound Muenster cheese
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoon melted butter
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian curly leaf parsley (leaves only)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder

Cut cheese into small pieces and soak in ice water for 1 hour, then mash or grind into crumbles.
Mix cheese together with remaining ingredients.

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SPINACH FILLING FOR BEOREG:
2 pounds spinach, fresh or frozen
1/4 cup Taheen (tahini – sesame seed paste)
1/4 cup fine bread crumbs
4 medium onions, chopped fine
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Dip spinach in boiling water to soften, then drain to remove all liquid. (If using frozen spinach,
defrost thoroughly and squeeze dry to drain excess liquid).
Sauté onions in olive oil till lightly colored.
Add spinach and seasonings to onions and simmer for 20 minutes.
Mix in Taheen and bread crumbs.

Side Dishes

Rice Pilaf
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons butter
3 tablespoon pine nuts
1 cup rice
2 cups chicken or vegetarian broth
Salt and pepper

Melt butter in a heavy sauce pan that has a tight fitting lid
Add pine nuts and rice. Stir to coat with the butter and sauté until slightly brown.
Add 2 cups chicken or vegetarian broth.
Bring to a boil, turn to simmer, cover and cook for 25 minutes until the rice is done.
Add salt and pepper to taste (amount of salt will depend on how salty the broth is).

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 Main Dishes
Dolma (Stuffed Vegetables)
Ingredients:
VEGETABLE CONTAINERS:
2 green peppers
2 zucchini (cut in half crosswise through the middle, so there is a top and bottom)
2 medium eggplants (cut in half crosswise through the middle, so there is a top and bottom)
2 large tomatoes

To prepare:
Scoop out the center flesh of the zucchini, eggplants, and tomatoes. (Reserve this to use in
Tourlu Guevech, the stew below.)
Cut the top off the peppers and reserve the flesh, except for the stem.

FILLING:
1 pound ground beef
2 cup rice (uncooked)
2 medium onions, chopped fine
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/4 cup tomato sauce or 1 small can whole tomatoes, drained and chopped
(add the drained juice to the cooking broth)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper
1/2 crushed garlic clove

Additional for cooking broth:

2 tablespoons tomato paste
Juice of 1/2 a lemon

Knead all the filling ingredients together.

Fill the vegetable shells 3/4 of the way to the top.
Stack the stuffed vegetables upright in a pan, suitable for boiling on top of stove, or baking.
Add the 2 tablespoons tomato paste and any drained tomato juice to water to make a cooking
broth. Add enough cooking broth to the pot so that the vegetables are 7/8 covered.
Place a plate on top of the vegetables and cover with a tight lid.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, and simmer until the rice is cooked, an hour or more.
Add lemon juice halfway through the cooking period.
Serve with Greek Madzoon (thick yogurt).

This filling can also be used to fill cabbage rolls or grape leaves.

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Tourlu Guevech
Ingredients:
1 eggplant, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
(Note: Use the reserved centers of the zucchini, eggplant, and tomatoes from making Dolma.)
1/2 pound ground beef, crumbled (Optional; for a vegetarian version, omit this.)
1 potato, peeled and chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper
1/2 clove garlic, chopped
About 2 cups good quality prepared marinara sauce

Mix all ingredients in an oven‐safe casserole dish. Cover with marinara sauce.
Bake 350, covered for an hour or more, until vegetables are done.

Lentil Kufte
Ingredients:
1 cup pink lentils
4 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon red pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 large onion, chopped fine
1/4 cup clarified butter or ghee
1 cup fine bulghour (precooked cracked wheat)
1/2 bunch green scallions, chopped, plus additional for garnish
1/4 cup green or red pepper, chopped fine
1/2 cup fresh Italian green parsley leaves, chopped, plus additional for garnish

Wash lentils, combine with water and boil 1 hour till lentils are soft; cool.
Add salt, pepper and paprika to lentils.
Fry onion in butter or ghee till lightly colored, cool.
Rinse bulghour and add to the onions and butter. Let sit for 20 minutes, until softened and cool.
(If a softer texture is desired, soak the bulghour first in cold water for about 20 minutes.)
Mix lentils with bulghour, seasonings, onion, and chopped vegetables and herbs. Knead gently,
wetting hands with water to prevent sticking. Add more salt to taste if needed.
With wet hands, form this mixture into small elongated patties. Garnish with chopped green
onions and parsley.
Makes 12 patties. This is served before Easter when meat is forbidden.

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Sini Kufta
MEAT MIXTURE (#1):
2 pounds lean lamb and or beef
3 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper
4 tablespoons cold water
1 egg
2 cups fine bulghour, unsoaked
1 1/2 cups cold water

Mix meat with spices, water and egg. Add bulghour and knead this with the additional cold
water. Divide into 2 parts.

FILLING (#2 – also a meat mixture):

1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 pounds fatty beef and or lamb (85%)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup pine nuts

Fry onion in olive oil till softened. Add meat and sauté till browned.
Add seasonings and pine nuts.

TO MAKE THE KUFTA

5 tablespoons clarified butter, divided

Butter the bottom of a rectangular baking pan, using about 2 tablespoons of clarified butter.
Spread the meat mixture (#1) into the bottom of the pan using water to press and flatten the
meat.
Add the filling mixture (#2) and spread evenly over the first layer.
Spread the remainder of meat mixture (#1) meat over filling using cold water to flatten it.
Spread 3 tablespoons clarified butter over the top of the meat and sprinkle with 1/3 cup water
With a sharp knife, cut the contents of the pan into 3 inch squares and then cut these in half
diagonally to form triangles.
Bake at 400˚F for 35‐40 minutes till slightly brown.
Remove from oven and drain excess butter and fat. Serve hot.
This can be frozen. To serve after thawing, reheat at 350˚F for 15‐20 minutes.

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 Desserts

Cheoreg (Sweet Bread)

Ingredients:
6 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon mahlab (a spice made from the ground seed kernels of the St. Lucie cherry)
1 cup milk, heated to lukewarm
1 package dry yeast, or one cake yeast
1 1/2 cup butter, melted and warm
3 eggs
1 tablespoon black seeds (nigella sativa, also known as kalonji, charnushka, black onion seeds,
black cumin, Roman coriander, or black caraway)
1 teaspoon vanilla
Additional beaten egg for brushing
Sesame seeds or crushed almonds for sprinkling

Mix the yeast into the milk.

Combine the dry ingredients.
Make a well in the flour mixture and add the milk and yeast mixture.
Then add the butter, eggs, seeds and vanilla.
Knead the dough for about 1/2 hour.
Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap, and let the dough
rise in a warm place till double in size.
Punch down, knead, and let rise again for 2 hours.
Pinch off a piece of dough the size of a golf ball, roll into a long strip with your hands, and shape
into a figure 8.
Brush with beaten egg, top with sesame seeds or crushed almonds. Let rest 10‐15 minutes.
Bake at 400˚F for 20 minutes

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Sweet Kadayif Pastry
DOUGH AND BASIC INSTRUCTIONS:
1 package kadayif dough or phyllo dough (comes frozen)
1 pound salted butter, clarified, or prepared ghee

See Beoreg recipes for instructions of how to clarify butter.

To construct the Pastry:

Use clarified butter throughout this recipe.
Unwrap and unfold the thawed dough and cut with scissors to pieces that fit the size of the pan
you will use. Generally a square or rectangular baking pan is best.
If using phyllo dough, cover it with a damp cloth while it is sitting on the side.
Brush the bottom of the baking pan generously with butter.
Add a layer of kadayif dough or phyllo dough to the pan; brush it generously with butter.
Spread the filling mixture evenly over the dough.
Add another layer of dough; brush it generously with butter.
Before baking, use a sharp knife to cut the pastry into 3 inch squares and then cut those in half
diagonally to form triangles. Pour a small amount of butter over the top.
Bake at 400˚F for 20‐25 minutes till brown.
Remove from the oven and immediately drain off any excess butter.
Spoon simple syrup over the warm Kadayif. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes.

SIMPLE SYRUP:
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup water
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey
Cook these ingredients together over medium heat till sugar dissolves, stirring constantly.
Once at a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
Remove from heat and keep warm.

CHEESE FILLING:
1 1/4 pound Muenster cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons melted clarified butter

Cut the cheese into small pieces and soak in ice water for 1 hour, then mash or grind into
crumbles.
Knead or blend the cheese together with the remaining ingredients.

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RICOTTA FILLING:
1 pound ricotta cheese
1 small egg, beaten
2 teaspoons butter, melted
3 teaspoons sugar
Mix together and proceed as above.

NUT FILLING FOR KADAYIF OR PAKLAVA (called the latter if made with phyllo dough):
Use the cheese filling recipe above, but substitute 1 pound finely chopped walnuts or pistachio
nuts instead of cheese.

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