Syrian Nutmeg Cake

I made this cake recently and shared some with our Iraqi friends and it was well-liked. They do not typically like very rich desserts. Often, they will have some cake and tea (chai) for breakfast. This cake is unlike any other cake I have ever made in the way it was assembled. This is a wonderful moist cake that has a slightly crunchy crust/crumb bottom. The nutmeg is not overwhelming, as I was initially thinking it might be. All in all, it is a very nice cake for tea/coffee time. As an added bonus, it is quite easy to make.

Serves 9
Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup sour cream (I used my homemade yogurt, which turned out well)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts, pistachios)

Directions:

• Sift the first 3 dry ingredients into a mixing bowl and add the brown sugar and butter. 
• Blend until mixture is crumbly. 
• Grease 9 inch square cake pan. Spoon in half of crumb mixture and press lightly into the bottom of the pan. 
• In another smaller bowl, stir baking soda into sour cream or yogurt. Mix this into remaining crumb mixture along with the beaten egg. 
• Pour batter over crumbs and sprinkle with nuts. 
• Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until toothpick put in the center comes out pretty much clean. Serves 9.

*Recipe by Mary Casciato from the Elmira College Cookbook 1971.

MOU-FAR-RAH-KAY

This is a relatively easy Syrian/Middle Eastern dish.

Ingredients:

2 large zucchini, cubed
1/2- 1 pound ground beef
3 large onions, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp salt (or may use Adobo all purpose seasoned salt)
couple dashes of pepper
1/8 tsp of ground allspice
4 eggs

Steam the zucchini. Brown beef, garlic and onion. Drain. Add seasonings. Mix with zucchini and simmer until it is nearly soft. Make 4 small wells in the mixture. Drop one egg in each well; cover pan to poach eggs.

This is traditionally eaten by dipping it up with pita bread, or you may use a fork and eat the bread on the side.

*Recipe adapted from Janet Nazil from Whole Foods For the Whole Family La Leche League International Cookbook 1981.