Menenas, similar to the ma’amoul cookies of the Levant are crumbly semolina shortbread filled with a succulent, aromatic date and nut paste flavored with orange that melts in your mouth.
I still have vivid childhood recollections of the intense aromas of cinnamon and cloves wafting through my mother’s kitchen as these buttery delights were baking in her oven.
The Sephardic womenfolk in Rhodes Island traditionally molded menenas into oval shapes, decorating the pastry tops by pinching feathery designs with a pair of tweezers. Wooden molds used to create ornate designs and shapes are an easy alternative or any decorative impressions could work.
I like to crimp creative designs, that look so festive dredged in confectioners’ sugar piled high on a platter! Enjoy these addictive menenas in good health. Beraja i salud!
Menenas, are super easy to make and keep well in an airtight container.
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