mujabbanāt muthallath

Discussion

These fried pastries made with semolina flour and fresh cheese are among the most beloved foods recorded in al-Andalus. In addition to many recipes, they inspired riddles and adages at the time, and characterized Andalusi cuisine in the rest of the Arab Muslim world (FKH 55). Between our two main sources, there are a total of 12 different recipes, in which the process of making them is described in noteworthy detail compared to the corpus of contemporary Arabic cookbooks, a trait common among al-Tujibi’s recipes (FKH 12). While they were served year-round, made both at home and in the Marketplace, they were especially associated with Christian festivals including the Nayrūz feast we are focusing on.

In terms of developing a modern recipe, we are given a huge amount of latitude since each of the 12 recipes recorded is significantly different. We do have some guidance and commonality, however. They are all kneaded doughs with yeast, all contain freshly made cheese, and the method of cooking impacts the method of preparation. For this event, we are focusing on foods in the marketplace, and so the fried pastries are our main area of concern. For these, we still have many options, but we are told they must be brittle enough to break when you bite into it and leave greasy traces on your fingers (AS 79). Coupled with standard ingredients of Semolina flour, fresh cheese, and yeast, common ratios from the two sources, and the physical necessities of dough – which have not changed from then to now – we can create a dough that hits these targets. We are serving these in the documented style preferred by the Andalusi, not coated in honey, but in sugar and Ceylon cinnamon, with honey for dipping (FKH 55).

In the recipe below, we use modern enriched dough methods because the end result is unchanged. We can create the same texture and taste without nearly as much work. Following the historical recipe exactly, we would introduce fat into the dough immediately, which drastically inhibits gluten production, and we would still need to knead the dough to reach sufficient gluten strength. Rather than working against ourselves, we will use autolyse (resting the dough after hydration – a process that is attested in the sources) and kneading prior to the introduction of fat. Given the huge percentage of fat enriching the dough, there is virtually no chance of producing too much gluten. A merchant in this historical context would have perfected this specific craft, perhaps finding their own methods and shortcuts that were not documented, but we must make up for a lifetime of skills in another way. The end result is a recipe that produces a product that captures the textures and flavors described that is realistic for both a modern cook to follow, and to produce in large quantities with limited space and staff.