Maamoul Bi Fistok Pistachio Maamoul - farina

Method

• Start by clarifying the butter: In a heavy bottomed saucepan, melt the butter over low heat; remove the saucepan from the heat as soon as it has melted. Set aside for 10 minutes. You will notice the milk solids fall to the bottom. Strain it through a wire sieve lined with several layers with cheesecloth. Pour the melted butter over the cheesecloth and get rid of the milk solids. Know you have the clarified butter.
• Mix the farina and coarse semolina in a large bowl. Pour the clarified butter and knead with you hands to infuse all together. Set aside (the semolina mix needs to rest for 6 hours)
• Meanwhile, prepare the filling: place the raw pistachios in a food processor and pulse a few times to considerably grind the pistachios. Transfer to a bowl, add the sugar and orange blossom water, and mix well to fully incorporate. Set aside.
• When 6 hours have passed on soaking the semolina mix, add the all-purpose flour, active dry yeast, mahlab, canola oil, orange blossom water and rose water. Knead the sticky dough for a minute or until the dough is soft and silky. Cover with a kitchen towel and leave it to rest for 1 more hour.
• To put together: Lightly grease a cookie sheet or line it with parchment paper.
• Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F. Place a rack in the center of the oven
• After 1 hour, knead the dough again and divide it into equal balls, roughly the size of an apricot.
• Make a hole in the center of each ball, with your finger fill the hole with a teaspoon of the pistachio filling. Seal the hole patching the dough together and roll it into a ball.
• Transfer each stuffed ball into the mold, pressing it lightly in to level it up with the mold.
• Gently tap the mold on a counter top, converting it and the maamoul will come out.
• Place it on the cookie sheet, keep the maamoul 2cm/1 inch apart.
• Bake about 15-20 minutes to a golden color. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool down, then dust with powdered sugar. How delicious!!