Ingredients
For the syrup
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup honey
- lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
- 1 Tbsp orange blossom water
For the filling
- 1 lb slivered almonds
- 1 orange zest
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 Tbsp orange blossom water , or as needed
- 1 lb frozen filo pastry , thawed overnight in the fridge
- 1 cup butter , melted
- 1/4 cup sesame seeds
Servings: samsa
Units:
Instructions
- Heat together the water and sugar for about fifteen minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the honey, lemon juice, and orange blossom water.
- In a food processor, blend together the almonds, orange rind, and cinnamon. Pour on the orange blossom water and continue pulsing until the mixture begins to bind together. Test by pressing a spoonful in the palm of your hand. If it sticks together (mostly), then you’re in business!
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Unwrap the thawed filo dough and set on table. Keep covered with a dishtowel while you work, so it doesn’t dry out. Gather 2 sheets of filo dough and lay them landscape-style on a clean work surface (they should be stacked on top of each other). Brush liberally with melted butter. Cut in half. Then cut in half again. You’ll end up with four pieces.
- Gather a spoonful of the filling into your palm, press together, and lay at the bottom of one of the strips. fold over the sides and brush the folded sides with butter again. Roll up. Brush all over with butter. Place on cookie sheet. Keep working in this way until the cookie sheet fills up. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Option 1: Place in a casserole like a lasagna pan. Pour on the syrup. Let sit 10-30 minutes, depending on how sweet you’d like samsa. Turn once halfway. The cigars will absorb much of the syrup, but not all of it. Option 2: leave the syrup in the pot and dip the samsa into it, one by one, for a few moments, or as desired.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving.