Recipe by Marilena Joannides
Ingredients
Cream of wheat (semolina) – 550 gr
Baking powder – 1 teaspoon
Mastikha* (ground up) – 1/4 teaspoon
Vegetable oil – 200 ml
Sugar – 200 gr
Goat or sheep milk yoghurt (unfiltered) – 250 gr
Almonds for decorating – 24 pieces
For the syrup:
Sugar – 400 gr
Water – 400 ml
Neroli flower water (made with bitter orange) – 2 teaspoons
Cooking method
First prepare the syrup: mix water and sugar and bring to a boil in a medium-sized pot. Stir for 5 minutes.
Let it cool, then add flower water and stir again.
Mix mastikha and a small amount of cream of wheat (semolina). Then add the rest of the cream of wheat and baking powder.
In a blender mix oil, sugar and yoghurt. Blend well. If you don't have a blender, then whisk by hand. Add the cream of wheat mixture and mix thoroughly.
Spread the dough over a baking sheet and cut into 24 pieces. Decorate each piece with an almond.
Bake for 60 minutes at 160 °C. Use the fanned oven setting and bake until golden brown.
Pour the syrup over your dessert while it's still hot and let it soak (this will take only a few minutes).
Footnote:
* Mastikha — is a food additive and a natural flavoring agent derived from Pistacia Lentiscus's tar. It is used in cooking as well as to make «Elma» gum, whose anti-bacterial properties are said to be very good for your gums and even intestinal health.
