Jachnun

Ever since I first tasted it at a Shabbat kidush in shull, I can barely eat cholent without it anymore. Looking to make my own  jachnun, rather than buy it, I found the following on Astray Recipes:

Making jachnun - Photo from: travelpod.com

Ingredients

• 3¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1½ teaspoon Salt
• 1 large egg
• 1¼ cup water
• ¾ cup margarine; cut into 6 pieces

Directions

1. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in food processor and process to blend. Add egg and 1 cup water and process with on/off turns to mix. With motor running, gradually add remaining water, about 1/4 cup, adding enough so mixture comes together to a smooth, fairly stiff dough. It will be sticky. Remove from processor.
2. Knead dough well by slapping vigorously on the work surface. Divide into 6 pieces and knead each one with a slapping motion until smooth. Roll each in your palm to a ball.
3. Put on an oiled plate or tray, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
4. Oil working surface and rolling pin. Let margarine stand at room temperature until very soft.
5. Roll out 1 ball of dough on oiled surface to a very thin 12-inch square. To help stretch dough, pull it gently from time to time by hand, until very thin. If dough tears, simply press it together. Spread with a piece of soft margarine. Fold in half, then in half again to make a long strip. Roll up strip from a short side in a tight cylinder. Repeat with 5 remaining pieces of dough.
6. Put in greased, shallow 8-inch square baking dish. Cover with foil and a lid and refrigerate at least 2 or up to 8 hours. Preheat oven to 200 F. Bake pastries 13-14 hours or until golden brown. Serve hot.

Source: “International Jewish Cookbook“, by Faye Levy, Warner Books 1991. Found on the Internet.

Personally, I’ll skip the sixth step. I’ll take one serving put it in the cholent and freeze the others to be used on subsequent weeks. I also add some hardboiled eggs (Yemenite custom) which by lunch time, on Shabbos, taste superb having cooked for so many hours on low heat.

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

CS