almond feqqas

Prepare the almond paste with:

* 250 g (9 oz) ot almonds * 175 g (6 oz) of caster sugar * 1 egg yolk

* 1 soupspoontul of orange-flower water * 1 soupspoonful of melted butter * 1/2 teaspoonful of cinnamon

Preparation: 

Skin the almonds after blanching in boiling water Wipe with a clean cloth and mix with the caster sugar and the orange-flower water and put through the mincer three times. Add the egg yolk, melted butter and cinnamon. Mix well. Shape fingers about 20 cm (8”) long, a little thicker than cigarettes.

Prepare the Bechkito dough with only half the amount of yeast.take a piece of the dough and roll it out as thin as possible on an oiled table (2 to 3mm) (1/10”). put a finger of almond paste on top, lengthways, 1 cm (1/2”) from the edge, and roll the pastry round once. Cut close to the edge of this roll with a serrated pastry-cutter. Prepare the remainder of the paste and pastry in the same way.

Almond sticks are made the thickness of a finger. Make them more even and thinner by rolling them, then cut them into little pieces like chick-peas with a pair of scissors. Place on an oiled baking sheet. Cook in a moderate oven for 10 to 15 minutes and remove when golden brown. Leave to cool and store in airtight tins so that they remain crisp.