Magrood
(Libyan Date Biscuits) Recipe

Origin: Libya      Period: Traditional

Ingredients:

For the Pastry:
420g semolina
70g flour
1 tsp baking powder
250ml oil
360ml warm water

For the Filling:
450g dates, pitted
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3 tbsp oil

For the Sugar Syrup:
200g brown sugar
150ml water
2 tbsp lemon juice
75g sesame seeds

Magrood
(Libyan Date Biscuits) Preparation:

Method:

Begin with the filling. Add the pitted sates to a pan with a little water. Bring to a simmer and cook gently for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until the dates dissolve. Take off the heat, allow to cool then purée in a food processor. Turn the date paste into a bowl then add the cinnamon and oil. Take a handful of the mixture and shape into a ball then flatten the ball and roll into a long sausage about a finger width in diameter. Set these aside on a tray and cover to keep moist.

In the meantime combine the semolina, flour and baking powder in a bowl. Add the oil and mix well to combine. Take a handful of the mixture and roll on a work surface. If the dough begins to crumble add a little more oil until the dough holds together.

Take about 250g of the mixture and place in another bowl and sprinkle with a little warm water. Mix this in with your hands and repeat the process until you have a soft dough.

Turn the dough onto a lightly-floured work surface and shape into a long loaf (the same length as the date roll you made). Form a groove in the top of this by pressing down with your fingers and place the date sausage in this. Smooth the dough on either side over the date sausage so it's completely covered with dough then cut the loaf you've made at a diagonal into 3cm thick pieces. Decorate the top of these using a fork (traditionally the dough is pinched with special tweezers to decorate) then place on a lightly-greased baking sheet.

Repeat the process with the remaining dough and date sausages then transfer to an oven pre-heated to 190°C and bake for about 40 minutes, or until golden brown.

Whilst the magrood are cooking prepare the sugar syrup by combining the sugar and water in a pan. Heat gently to dissolve the sugar then bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes. Take off the heat as you remove the magrood from the oven.

Stir the lemon juice into the sugar syrup then dip each magrood into the syrup solution and decorate with some of the sesame seeds. Allow to cool and serve.

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