 |
Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 0 Minutes |
Ready In: 0 Minutes Servings: 30 |
|
Tabat Jibneh In Kuwait it's common for women to gather at least twice a week for a couple of hours before lunch. When I lived there, most of the women at these gatherings were not employed outside the home, making these subheys, which means mornings, a cherished part of our social life. We enjoyed visiting one another and sampling the delicious refreshments that were always an important feature of the get-togethers. Savory pastries, sweets, and coffee were usually served, and there was always an unspoken challenge to come up with uniquely delicious recipes in order to impress one another. Since I love cheese, and especially the combination of cheese and bread, I invented these fragrant cheese-filled rolls to serve at one of our subheys. Tabat Jibneh can be frozen uncooked, right in the pan, for up to 6 weeks. Double-wrap the pan with one layer of plastic wrap and another of heavy-duty aluminum foil. When you are ready to bake them, defrost the rolls in the refrigerator, then bake them in a preheated 425°F oven until they are pale gold, 30 minutes. You can also freeze fully baked Tabat Jibneh, tightly wrapped, for up to 2 weeks. Ingredients:
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast |
1/4 teaspoon sugar |
1 cup warm water (110°f) |
3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted |
1/4 teaspoon salt |
1/2 cup powdered whole milk |
1 egg |
1/2 cup vegetable oil |
olive oil, for coating the bowl and the pan |
one 5-ounce package halloumi or akawi cheese |
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley |
5 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded on the small holes of a box grater (about 1/2 cup) |
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano or thyme leaves |
1/4 cup sesame seeds |
2 teaspoons nigella seeds |
1/4 cup olive oil, plus extra for drizzling |
Directions:
1. Prepare the dough: Combine the yeast, sugar, and warm water in a small bowl, and stir to dissolve. Set it aside until the mixture is foamy, about 5 minutes.
2. Combine the flour, salt, and powdered milk in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook. Add the egg and vegetable oil, and give the mixture a good stir. Add the yeast mixture and mix on medium speed until the ingredients are incorporated. Then raise the speed to high and continue to mix until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, 3 minutes.
3. Coat a glass or ceramic bowl with olive oil, put the dough in the bowl, and roll it around to coat it with the oil. Cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm, draft-free place until the dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour.
4. Prepare the filling: Rinse the halloumi under cold running water; or, if you are using akawi packed in brine, submerge it in water, changing the bath three times to rid it of overly salty brine. Drain the cheese and shred it on the large holes of a box grater. Combine the halloumi, parsley, mozzarella, and oregano in a bowl, and stir to mix.
5. Form and bake the rolls: Preheat the oven to 475°F. Combine the sesame and nigella seeds on a plate. Coat a 12-inch cake pan with olive oil. Fill a small bowl with the 1/4 cup olive oil. Liberally coat your hands with olive oil.
6. Punch the dough down. Pull off a piece about the size of a baseball and squeeze it between your thumb and index finger until a ball about the size of a walnut comes through. Separate the ball from the dough in your palm by pinching your index finger over your thumb. Flatten the ball in the palm of your hand, stretching it to fit your palm. Place 1 tablespoon of the filling in the center and gather the edges around it, pinching to seal it, forming a purse shape. Dip the smooth side into the olive oil, then into the seed mixture, and place it, sealed side down, in the cake pan. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling, arranging the rolls tightly in concentric circles, beginning with the outer ring and working your way to the center.
7. Drizzle a little olive oil over the rolls and bake until they are pale gold, about 25 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the rolls cool for a bit.
8. Run a knife around the rim of the pan to loosen the rolls. Invert a plate over the pan, flip the plate and pan together, and remove the pan. Invert a second plate over the rolls and flip again, so the rolls are seed side up. Place the plate on the table and let your guests pull one roll at a time from the loaf.
|
|