BRIOUATES (Moroccan sweet pies)
Makes about 30
225g roasted hazelnuts (Corydon)
100g quince conserve
25g butter (softened)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup icing sugar
30 ml orange flower water
10 sheets filo pastry
50g melted butter
120ml fragrant honey
Grind the hazelnuts in food processor until coarse crumbs. Add the quince conserve, butter, cinnamon, icing sugar and a little orange flower water. Blitz until the mixture is combined.
Preheat the oven to 180`C
Working quickly as filo pastry becomes brittle very fast if exposed to the air. If necessary cover with a slightly damp cloth, or a piece of glad wrap. Brush a sheet of filo pastry with melted butter and cut into four equal strips. Place a walnut-size piece of hazelnut paste at the bottom of each strip. Fold one corner over the filling to make a triangle and then fold up, in triangles, to make a neat package. Brush again with a little butter. Repeat steps 3 and 4 to make about 30 pastries. Place the pastries on a buttered baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden. You can eat then as they are with perhaps a little dusting of icing sugar. Or as they would do in Morocco immediately submerge in warm good quality honey , and a dash of orange flower water. Transfer to a plate and cool a little before serving. Amazing!!
Alison Lambert