Purim is the holiday
celebrating the Biblical Esther and this year it falls on Thursday,
March 1st (begins at sunset on the 28th). I wanted to share a few days
early so that those who are interested have a chance to plan and
celebrate the holiday in some way.
So, how does one celebrate
Purim? The most important observance is reading the book of Esther.
During the reading you can boo, hiss, or rattle noise makers whenever
the name of Haman (the villain of the story) is mentioned, to blot out
his name. You might also consider a children’s adaptation if you have
younger ones.
Other important observances include giving
portions of food to friends and to the poor and needy to celebrate the
day. A festive meal is, of course, also in order. One specific treat to
be enjoyed on Purim is a kind of cookie called Haman’s Pockets. They are
shaped like Haman’s three cornered hat. You may be wondering why they
are called pockets if they are shaped like his hat. This is simply the
kind of cookie; it indicates that they have filling inside. My recipe is
at the end.
Haman’s Pockets Recipe
¾ cup butter
½ cup ground dates (I used the blender, food processor may be better)
¼ cup honey
2 eggs
2 tablespoons orange juice
3 ½ cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons orange zest (or 1 tsp dried)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Preserves or fruit butter to fill
Cream together the butter, dates, and honey. Beat in the eggs, then the
orange juice. Gradually add in the flour, mixing in the baking powder,
orange zest, and cinnamon toward the end. Refrigerate the dough for at
least an hour, up to overnight. Roll the dough out and cut out circles.
Fill with the preserves or fruit butter, and
fold three edges into the middle to make a triangle. Fold them in a
pinwheel fashion, so that each side is tucked under at one corner to
prevent them from unfolding, and pinch together the corners to seal.
Bake for about 15 minutes at 350° until they are lightly browned, but don’t let
the filling boil out.
