Ingredients:

2 eggplant

1 pound ground beef

1 small onion, chopped

Arabic 5 spice seasoning (Recipe below)

Salt and Black Pepper to taste

6 Roma tomatoes chopped

½ cup tomato paste

2 cups water

½ cup Tahina

2 cups yogurt

¼ cup lemon juice

2 cloves garlic mashed

Salt and pepper

Fried almonds (you can also brown them under the broiler)

4 cups cubed and fried or toasted Pita Bread

Instructions:

• Peel, cut into cubes and put salt on the eggplants and let stand for 15 minutes. (Doing this will prevent the eggplant from absorbing the oil as you fry them.
• Fry in hot oil then drain on absorbent paper.
• Brown meat and onions, season with salt, black pepper, paprika, and Arabic spices.
• Mix tomato paste with water until tomato sauce is achieved.
• Place eggplant in sauce pan and add tomato sauce. Bring to a boil.
• Crush 1 clove garlic and sauté in olive oil; add to eggplants and tomato sauce.
• Mix Tahina with yogurt, 1 clove crushed garlic and lemon juice, and then add water to form a creamy mixture. Add salt to taste.
• Put the bread in the bottom of Pyrex.
• Add the eggplant and tomato sauce mixture, strain the meat and put over the eggplant.
• Finally pour the Tahina sauce on top and garnish with fried almonds, tomatoes and green onions.

Arabic Spice Seasoning (Ibharat)

1 tbsp ground black pepper

2 tsp allspice

1 tbsp cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 1/2 tsp cloves

Mix all together and keep in a airtight container. This can be used for most middle eastern recipes.

Spinach, potato, squash quiche

1/3 cup onion, chopped

1 tablespoon butter

4 eggs

1 calabaza (or other light colored) squash peeled and cut into cubes

1 large potato peeled and cut into cubes

1 bunch fresh spinach

½ cup parmesan cheese

Sliced red onions for decoration on top

Salt and pepper to taste

Perfect Crust

1 cup + 2 Tbsp. flour, sifted

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup butter

3-4 tablespoons cold milk

Combine the flour and salt.  Using a food processor cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles fine corn meal.  Gradually pour the milk in, one tablespoon at a time while pulsing the mixture until dough forms. Remove the dough and mix with your hands, gently.  Place dough on heavily floured board, put flour over entire rolling pin surface and roll it out, gently until it’s about ¼ inch thick and large enough for your pan.  Carefully, pick up the dough and place it in your quiche pan.

Press in the flutes of your pan. Perforate the bottom of the crust to prevent it from bubbling up while it’s cooking.

Directions for Quiche

Sauté the onion in the butter, add squash, and potato until tender. Add spinach for just long enough to wilt.

Mix the eggs well, add the sautéed vegetables and pour into the pie crust.  Do not overfill.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Lay sliced red onions on top for decoration (optional)

Place on a cookie sheet (in case it overflows while cooking), bake at 375 for 35-45 minutes, or until baked through.

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One day I was shopping  and came across these doughnut pans. I searched for the recipe and found this one from one of my many books. I hope it turns out well for you as it did for me.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup white sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup milk

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Cinnamon and sugar mix

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup white sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (176 Celsius)

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, salt, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and nutmeg. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg, butter, and vanilla. Mix until well blended.

Pipe into a greased doughnut pan using a pastry bag or plastic bag with the corner cut off and bake for 15 minutes.

Remove from pan. Combine the remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 cup sugar in a large re-sealable bag. Place a few warm donuts into the bag at a time, seal and shake to coat.

*You may also use chocolate or vanilla frosting and sprinkle with decorations of your choice.

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Dumplings:

1 cup ground meat

1cup chopped onion

1/4 cup pine nuts

1/2 cup ghee (or other shortening)

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/4 tsp. allspice

Prepare the dough with 1 1/2 cups of bread flour, half cup shortening, 1 tsp. salt and half cup cold water. Knead lightly and roll out into a thin layer on a floured board.

Make the stuffing as follows:

Brown the ground beef with the onions and season with salt, pepper and allspice until done.

Add pine nuts.

Cut the dough into circles not larger than three inches in diameter. Put a teaspoon of stuffing on each and fold over. Press the edges together firmly, and bend the circle in half so that both ends meet and press together. Continue filling, pressing shut and folding over until all the dough is finished. Place on a tray and cook in a slow oven for 15 minutes.

Labaneeya:

1 quart cold water

1 egg

1 Tbls. corn starch

1 teaspoon salt

2 quarts plain yogurt

6 cloves garlic crushed

1 tsp. ground coriander ( you can use chopped cilantro in you like, I prefer coriander)

Place yogurt, egg, and cornstarch in the blender,  mix well. In the meantime bring the water to boil and add bouillon then pour the yogurt mixture into the water and bring to a boil.

After the yogurt (labaneeya) comes to a boil add the dumplings and simmer until the dough is cooked.

In a separate frying pan heat 1 Tbls. olive oil or semneh(ghee), and add the 6 cloves of garlic that have been crushed and coriander. Saute in the olive oil until lightly browned.

Pour the garlic over the yogurt sauce and mix.

Serve this dish over white rice.

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1/4 cup butter

1 1/2 cups white rice (soaked in hot water for 1 hour)

1 tsp. salt (to taste)

2 1/2 cups water

Melt butter on medium heat. Brown vermicelli in the  butter. Add drained rice, Stir over medium heat for 1 minute. Add salt and turn heat to high. Bring to boil, cover and simmer on low heat for 20-25 minutes. Serve hot.