Moroccan Desserts, Cookies, Pastries and Sweets

This savory cracker-like cookie is flavored with black seeds (nigella sativa) and a little bit of garlic and pepper. It takes its name from a traditional Moroccan cookie called fekkas, which is similar to biscotti in that it's baked, sliced and baked again. This version offekkas is made quite tiny – about the size of a fingernail – and will only get baked once. Consider offering the savory fekkas as party or snack food, or serve some alongside other items at a Moroccan tea time.

Although easy to prepare, a big batch can become a bit tedious due to the small size of the cookies. For that reason this recipe yields only a small quantity. Double the recipe if you prefer. The cookies store very well in air-tight containers at room temperature, they may be frozen for up to several months.

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Chilling time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour, 55 minutes

Yield: 4 cups, approx.

Ingredients:

• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) milk
• 1/4 cup (50 g) butter, melted
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
• 1 small cube chicken, beef or vegetable bouillon, crumbled
• 1 clove garlic, grated
• ----------------------------------------
• 2 1/2 cups (315 g) flour, approx.
• 2 tablespoons nigella seeds (black seeds), lightly toasted
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Preparation:

In a large bowl, mix together the egg, milk, butter, oil, bouillon and garlic. Add the flour, black seed, baking powder, salt and pepper and mix with your hands until a soft dough forms. Knead a few times just until smooth, working in a little additional flour if necessary to prevent sticking.

Working with small portions of dough, roll the dough back and forth on a work surface to form sticks of dough no thicker than your smallest finger. Transfer the thin logs of dough to a tray lined with plastic wrap, cover, and freeze for about 1 hour, or until the dough is stiff enough to cut into thin slices.

Preheat the oven to 400° F (200° C).

Remove one stick of chilled dough at a time from the freezer and use scissors to snip the dough into 1/4" thick pieces. (Try to be consistent in how thick you slice the dough for even browning.) Place the slices on ungreased baking sheets (close together but not touching) and bake until lightly golden, about 15 to 20 minutes. Do not under bake, or the fekkas will not have their desired crunchy texture.

Allow the fekkas to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet. If necessary, use a dough scraper or spatula to loosen the cookies from the pan, and transfer them to a rack to cool completely. They can be piled on top of each other while they cool.

Store the cooled fekkas in an airtight plastic container for up to two weeks. They can also be frozen for several months.