Happy Purim!

One of my favorite holidays !

"Purim is one of the most joyous and fun holidays on the Jewish calendar. It commemorates a time when the Jewish people living in Persia were saved from extermination". Evidently, saved by lovely shortbread cookies, alcohol and nun's costumes, ( or Santa... they all love the Santa...)

How über Jew Madonna-n-boytoy spend the holiday. The headline alone is worth taking this link.......

PRUNE HAMANTASCHEN

Fruit Filling:

3/4 cup pitted prunes
1/3 cup seedless raisins
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup shelled walnuts
1/4 apple with peel
Juice and rind of 1/4 lemon
2 tablespoons sugar

Dough
2/3 cup pareve margarine or butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 to 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Dash of salt

1. To make the filling, simmer the prunes and raisins together in the water, covered, for 15 minutes or until the prunes are softened but still firm.

2. Add the nuts, then put the mixture through a grinder or chop in a food processor with the apple. Add the lemon juice
and rind and sugar and mix well.

3. To make the dough, cream the margarine or butter with the sugar. Add the egg and vanilla and continue creaming until smooth. A food processor is great for this.

4. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Process until a ball of dough is formed.

5. Chill for 2 to 3 hours, or overnight.

6. Taking one fourth of the dough, roll out on a lightly floured board to a thickness of 1/8 inch. Cut into 2 1/2-inch circles. With your finger, brush water around the rim of the circle. Drop 1 teaspoon of filling in the center. Then bring the
dough around the filling and press 3 ends together.

7. Bake in a preheated 375-degree oven on a well-greased cookie sheet for 10 to 15 minutes or until the tips are golden.

Yield: 36 cookies (P) with margarine; (D) with butter

Source: Jewish Cooking in America Joan Nathan