M'hanncha means "the snake" and this pastry certainly looks liek a snake. It is made of filo dough and is then coiled like a snake. It is filled with an almond paste. You can make a large pastry with larger sheets of filo, or you can make individual sizes, which is much easier.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1/2 package of filo dough, or 8 sheets
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 1/2 cups almonds
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- 1 teaspoon orange blossom water
- powdered sugar for dusting
- powdered cinnamon for dusting, plus 1 teaspoon
Preparation:
In a food processor, grind sugar and almonds. You can also do this with a mortar and pestle. Add orange blossom water, cinnamon, and butter. Blend into a smooth paste.Take one sheet of filo dough and place 1/4 cup of the almond paste and spread it down the center, in the shape if a thick pencil. Roll the dough around the paste, and form into a snake coil.
Fry in butter until golden brown. Dust with powdered sugar and cinnamon. Repeat with remaining dough and paste.
Yields 8 pastries.
