[Sca-cooks] Ka'ak recipes

[David Friedman]

Ka'ak are a middle eastern cookie/cracker, usually but not always 
ring shaped; a number of different versions are still made. I've now 
tried two period recipes, one from al-Warraq and one that Charles 
Perry sent me from Wusla (13th c.).

The al-Warraq one makes a square biscuit, rather bland but not bad. 
There's only one problem. It's flavored with saffron, which I don't 
like, it has quantities, and following the quantities makes something 
I have no desire to eat. It turned out better the first time I made 
it, when we happened to be out of saffron.

The Wusla version makes something rather like a pie crust 
cookie--almond oil (a lot of it) and semolina and not much else (some 
milk and sourdough). Part of the reason it turned out badly was 
probably the age of the almond oil I happened to have, but my guess 
is that using fresh almond oil would only change it from bad tasting 
to blah. I'll try the experiment, but am not very optimistic

Does anyone have any other period ka-ak recipes I could try?

On the other hand, I made the broth of chickpeas from al-Warraq for 
dinner tonight and it was pretty good. Also very easy.
-- 
David/Cariadoc
www.daviddfriedman.com