300 g (10 oz) dried dates, hard tops
trimmed off
125 g (4½ oz / 1 cup) shelled whole
walnuts, halved
120 g (4 oz / 1 cup) plain (all-purpose)
flour
55 g (2 oz / ¼ cup) butter, cut into
small cubes
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp chopped pistachios
Pit dates by gently tearing along their long sides to open up like a book;
do not sever into 2 halves.
With each opened date, put a walnut half where the pit used to be, then
wrap up and press to seal, shaping into a large capsule. Double-wrap
walnut half if one date cannot enclose it completely.
Arrange stuffed dates on a flat serving dish and set aside.
Put flour in a non-stick pan and place over low heat. Stir constantly until
flour is light brown and fragrant.
Add butter and stir until the cubes are melted and incorporated into the
flour: the result should be toffee-coloured and syrup-like in consistency.
Adjust with more butter or flour as necessary.
Pour butter mixture over stuffed walnuts. Sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon
and chopped pistachios, then serve.
To double-wrap walnut: first
wrap walnut with one date, then
use second date to cover exposed
part of walnut and press both
dates together to seal.
Arrange stuffed dates neatly on a
flat serving dish, then set aside to
make butter-based topping.
To prepare topping, add butter
to browned flour and stir
constantly until flour is fully
incorporated. The consistency
should be syrup-like.
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