Majida Rashid
Cinnamon is not only the spice of life; it’s also the spice of every season.
— Unknown
Americans associate cinnamon with desserts but in other cuisines where cooks have been using cinnamon for centuries it is mostly added to savory dishes. Cinnamon powder is used for curries, rice pilau and biryani. A few sticks of cinnamon make even plain boiled basmati rice flavorful and aromatic.
Cinnamon is also used in masala chai. Add a few pieces of cinnamon, cardamom pods and a couple of cloves to a cup and a half each of water and milk. Stir in a heaped teaspoon of loose black tea or two to three black tea bags and bring to a boil over low heat. Simmer for several minutes or until the color is enriched. Adding sugar is optional. Cardamom pods should be cracked open before using them. Sometimes I also add a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg.
On several occasions, after a stressful day, I have had cinnamon tea before bedtime. Its fragrance brings me to the present moment and calms and soothes nerves. To make this tea put a little chamomile or green tea leaves in a cup and cover with boiling water. Then sprinkle a good pinch of cinnamon powder. Cover the cup and leave for a few minutes. Stir in a quarter teaspoon of honey and allow everything to settle down and savor it sip by sip.
Egyptians are said to have used cinnamon for embalming the mummies. Romans burned cinnamon at funerals. Sprinkling cinnamon powder over a line of ants or an anthill will keep the ants away.
Numerous theories exist about the origin of cinnamon. However, in the mid-nineties, I read in Encyclopedia Brittanica that ancient Arab traders brought cinnamon from Madagascar to Europe.
Let’s celebrate cinnamon and enjoy these easy to make Cinnamon Delights.
Cinnamon Delights
(Serves 2-3)
Ingredients
1 sheet of frozen puff pastry, thawed at room temperature
7-8 oz butter, melted
1/4 – 1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon powder
2 apples
1 medium sweet potato
1-1-1/4 cups finely chopped pistachios
3 eggs, two slightly whisked
A pinch of salt
A few tablespoons each of brie and French feta cheese
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
Directions
Line two cookie trays with wax paper.
Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Combine sugar and 1-1/2 tablespoons of cinnamon powder and set aside.
Peel and halve the apples and cut them into 24 slices.
Heat a tablespoon of butter in a pan. Add the apples and sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon. Sauté over medium-high heat for a couple of minutes. Cool before using.
Microwave the sweet potato for 3 minutes. Cool, peel, halve and thinly slice each half.
Roll out the pastry into a thin rectangle and cut into two sheets along the width. Place them on the lined trays. Brush each sheet with 1-2 tablespoons of melted butter. Sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of cinnamon-sugar mixture over each sheet. Make 1/4”-wide diagonal cuts along the length of the pastry on both sides.
These cut parts resemble strips that are still attached to the middle or the spine of the pastry which should be wide enough to hold the fillings.
Beat together one egg and salt. Mix it with a tablespoon of butter and pistachios.
Pour half of the pistachios in the middle of one pastry.
Place small bits of cheese over the pistachios. I covered one half of pistachios with brie and the other half with feta.
Cover with the remaining pistachios and sprinkle a little cinnamon-sugar on the top.
Bring one strip towards the middle over the pistachios from one side and brush it with the whisked egg. Then place another strip from the opposite side and egg wash. Repeat until a criss cross pattern is formed.
Sprinkle with a few pistachios.
Place the apples on half of the second prepared pastry sheet. Cover the remaining with sweet potato slices.
Sprinkle with a tablespoon of cinnamon-sugar and walnuts.
Criss-cross the side strips, one by one, over the filling, and thoroughly egg wash each strip.
Bake in a pre-heated oven for 20-25 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cool.
Transfer onto a serving dish and cut thin slices.
Enjoy with coffee or tea.
— Unknown
Americans associate cinnamon with desserts but in other cuisines where cooks have been using cinnamon for centuries it is mostly added to savory dishes. Cinnamon powder is used for curries, rice pilau and biryani. A few sticks of cinnamon make even plain boiled basmati rice flavorful and aromatic.
Cinnamon is also used in masala chai. Add a few pieces of cinnamon, cardamom pods and a couple of cloves to a cup and a half each of water and milk. Stir in a heaped teaspoon of loose black tea or two to three black tea bags and bring to a boil over low heat. Simmer for several minutes or until the color is enriched. Adding sugar is optional. Cardamom pods should be cracked open before using them. Sometimes I also add a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg.
On several occasions, after a stressful day, I have had cinnamon tea before bedtime. Its fragrance brings me to the present moment and calms and soothes nerves. To make this tea put a little chamomile or green tea leaves in a cup and cover with boiling water. Then sprinkle a good pinch of cinnamon powder. Cover the cup and leave for a few minutes. Stir in a quarter teaspoon of honey and allow everything to settle down and savor it sip by sip.
Egyptians are said to have used cinnamon for embalming the mummies. Romans burned cinnamon at funerals. Sprinkling cinnamon powder over a line of ants or an anthill will keep the ants away.
Numerous theories exist about the origin of cinnamon. However, in the mid-nineties, I read in Encyclopedia Brittanica that ancient Arab traders brought cinnamon from Madagascar to Europe.
Let’s celebrate cinnamon and enjoy these easy to make Cinnamon Delights.
Cinnamon Delights
(Serves 2-3)
Ingredients
1 sheet of frozen puff pastry, thawed at room temperature
7-8 oz butter, melted
1/4 – 1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon powder
2 apples
1 medium sweet potato
1-1-1/4 cups finely chopped pistachios
3 eggs, two slightly whisked
A pinch of salt
A few tablespoons each of brie and French feta cheese
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
Directions
Line two cookie trays with wax paper.
Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Combine sugar and 1-1/2 tablespoons of cinnamon powder and set aside.
Peel and halve the apples and cut them into 24 slices.
Heat a tablespoon of butter in a pan. Add the apples and sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon. Sauté over medium-high heat for a couple of minutes. Cool before using.
Microwave the sweet potato for 3 minutes. Cool, peel, halve and thinly slice each half.
Roll out the pastry into a thin rectangle and cut into two sheets along the width. Place them on the lined trays. Brush each sheet with 1-2 tablespoons of melted butter. Sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of cinnamon-sugar mixture over each sheet. Make 1/4”-wide diagonal cuts along the length of the pastry on both sides.
These cut parts resemble strips that are still attached to the middle or the spine of the pastry which should be wide enough to hold the fillings.
Beat together one egg and salt. Mix it with a tablespoon of butter and pistachios.
Pour half of the pistachios in the middle of one pastry.
Place small bits of cheese over the pistachios. I covered one half of pistachios with brie and the other half with feta.
Cover with the remaining pistachios and sprinkle a little cinnamon-sugar on the top.
Bring one strip towards the middle over the pistachios from one side and brush it with the whisked egg. Then place another strip from the opposite side and egg wash. Repeat until a criss cross pattern is formed.
Sprinkle with a few pistachios.
Place the apples on half of the second prepared pastry sheet. Cover the remaining with sweet potato slices.
Sprinkle with a tablespoon of cinnamon-sugar and walnuts.
Criss-cross the side strips, one by one, over the filling, and thoroughly egg wash each strip.
Bake in a pre-heated oven for 20-25 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cool.
Transfer onto a serving dish and cut thin slices.
Enjoy with coffee or tea.
