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Kleicha: Traditional Iraqi Date and Walnut Filled Pastries Recipe

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Kleicha is a traditional Middle Eastern filled cookie featuring a tender, buttery dough wrapped around delicious date paste or spiced walnut fillings. This recipe guides you through making the dough from scratch, preparing the classic sweet fillings, shaping the cookies, and baking them to golden perfection. Ideal for festive occasions or as a delightful snack, these aromatic cookies bring together warm spices like cardamom and a rich, satisfying texture.

Ingredients

Scale

Dough

  • 6 cups (870 g) flour
  • 2 cups (500 g) butter, melted
  • 1 tsp instant yeast
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup (250 ml) warm milk
  • Optional: 1-2 tsp ground cardamom

Date Filling

  • 500 g date paste
  • 1 tbsp oil (optional, if paste is already smooth)
  • 2 tsp ground cardamom (or more, according to taste)

Walnut Filling

  • 300 g walnuts, ground roughly or finely
  • ¼ cup (50 g) sugar
  • 2 tsp ground cardamom (or more, according to taste)

Finishing

  • Egg wash (1 egg beaten with a splash of water or milk)
  • Optional: Nigella seeds

Instructions

  1. Prepare Walnut Filling: In a bowl, combine the roughly or finely ground walnuts, sugar, and ground cardamom. Set aside to infuse flavors.
  2. Smooth Date Paste: Heat the date paste with oil on low heat if needed to soften and ensure it becomes workable. If your date paste is already smooth, you can skip this heating step. Stir in the ground cardamom and set aside.
  3. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, instant yeast, sugar, salt, and optional cardamom to evenly distribute all dry components.
  4. Add Butter and Knead: Slowly pour in the melted butter while kneading the dough, either using a stand mixer or by hand. Continue until the dough becomes crumbly but sticks together when pressed.
  5. Add Warm Milk: Gradually mix in the warm milk and knead thoroughly until the dough becomes smooth, elastic, and holds together well.
  6. Rest the Dough: Allow the dough to rest for 15-30 minutes. The purpose is to relax the gluten without allowing it to rise significantly.
  7. Divide Dough: Split the rested dough into two equal portions to prepare separate date and walnut filled cookies.
  8. Prepare Date Filled Rolls: Roll out one portion of the dough into a roughly 20×30 cm rectangle. Roll the date paste thinly between two plastic sheets and place it evenly on the dough. Roll the dough tightly around the date filling into a log shape.
  9. Slice Date Rolls: Slightly flatten the log with a rolling pin, trim rough edges, and slice it into equal portions for individual cookies.
  10. Prepare Walnut Filled Cookies: Roll out the second portion of dough to roughly the same size and cut into circles using a cup or cookie cutter. Place a spoonful of walnut filling in the center of each circle.
  11. Shape Walnut Cookies: Fold each circle into a crescent shape and pinch the edges to seal completely. Alternatively, sandwich the filling between two circles and pinch edges, like ravioli, for a sealed pocket.
  12. Prep for Baking: Arrange all the shaped kleicha cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Use a fork to pierce holes in the dough to allow steam to escape and prevent puffing.
  13. Apply Egg Wash and Seeds: Brush the tops of the cookies with egg wash for a golden finish. Sprinkle nigella seeds on top if desired to add flavor and decoration.
  14. Bake: Bake the cookies in a preheated oven at 180ºC (350ºF) for 15-20 minutes or until they turn a beautiful golden brown color.

Notes

  • Resting the dough is crucial for a tender texture but avoid letting it rise fully.
  • If your date paste is sticky or grainy, warming it with oil helps smooth it out for easier rolling and shaping.
  • Ground cardamom adds authentic aromatic flavor; adjust quantity according to personal preference.
  • Use parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure easy cleanup.
  • Egg wash helps achieve a shiny, golden crust but can be omitted for a vegan version.
  • Experiment with the walnut filling texture — finely ground walnuts create a smooth filling, while rough chopping adds crunch.

Keywords: Kleicha, Middle Eastern cookies, date paste cookies, walnut filled cookies, cardamom, traditional dessert, festive cookies

Find it online: https://tastybynova.com/kleicha-traditional-iraqi-date-and-walnut-filled-pastries-recipe/