Nan E Nokhochi Persian Cookies Recipes

NAN-E BERENJI

Steps:

• Beat the confectioners' sugar and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until creamy. Add the yolks and mix until creamy and smooth, about 1 minute. Add the rosewater and cardamom and mix until combined, about 1 minute.
• Add the rice flour and stir using a rubber spatula until you have a soft dough that's still a bit moist, about 3 minutes. If needed, add more rice flour 1 tablespoon at a time. Transfer the dough to a clean bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, 4 to 6 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Scoop 1/2 tablespoon of the dough and roll it into a ball. Place the ball on the prepared baking sheet and gently press it into a 1/2-inch-thick disc. Repeat with the remaining dough, spacing the discs 2 inches apart. Using the edge of a small spoon, gently make a series of curved indentations on top of each disc, radiating out from the center. Sprinkle with sesame seeds (if using).
• Bake until the edges start to lightly brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack. The cookies keep, refrigerated in an airtight container, for up to 4 days.

NAN-E NOKHOCHI (PERSIAN CHICKPEA-FLOUR COOKIES)

Steps:

• Beat the butter, sugar and cardamom together until creamy. Beat in the egg yolk (to make a firmer cookie, or omit to keep it more "short"). Mix in the flour and knead until smooth. Traditionally the dough is rolled out and cut with a cookie cutter, or made by hand into little balls. As the dough is quite difficult to handle, I prefer the following alternative: Pack the dough firmly into a greased rectangular container so that it is about 1/2 inch thick. Cut across both ways to make 1/2 cubes. Chill the dough for about 1/2 hour, then carefully remove the cubes. Place the cookies about 1 inch spacing on a baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes at 300. Allow to cool on the sheet before removing.

IRANIAN RICE COOKIES (NAN-E BERENJI)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a fine sieve with four layers of cheesecloth and set over a small liquid measuring cup. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until beginning to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until foamy, stirring occasionally, until butter turns golden brown with a nutty aroma, and milk solids separate into brown specks that sink to bottom, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and strain through prepared sieve, leaving solids behind. Set aside to cool slightly.
• In another small saucepan over medium heat, stir together sugar and 2 tablespoons water until sugar has dissolved, then transfer to a large bowl. Let cool slightly, then add rose water and stir to combine.
• Add yolk to sugar mixture and whisk until light and slightly thickened. Continue whisking and slowly drizzle in strained brown butter until thick and fully incorporated. In a medium bowl, combine flours, cardamom, and salt. Add to brown butter mixture and stir until thoroughly incorporated.
• Roll dough into 1 1/2-inch balls and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spaced about 1 inch apart. Imprint each ball with the grooved side of a meat mallet, pressing to 1/4 inch thick. Dust mallet with rice flour as needed to prevent sticking. Bake, rotating halfway through, until edges of cookies just turn light golden, about 16 to 18 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

PERSIAN CHICKPEA FLOUR COOKIES (NAN-E NOKHOCHI )

Steps:

• Beat butter & powdered sugar together until creamy.
• Add egg yolk & cardamom.
• With your hands knead in the chickpea flour until smooth.
• Pinch off tiny pieces of dough about the size of hazelnuts and roll them into balls between the palms of your hands.
• Decorate the tops of the cookies by pricking them with the tines of a fork or by pressing the back of the tines horizontally onto the cookies.
• Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet and bake in a slow oven (300F) for about 30 minutes. This dough is very "short" and needs to be well kneeded. For an even "shorter" dough, omit the egg yolk.

NAN-E NOKHOCHI PERSIAN COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift and combine the chickpea flour, confectioner's sugar, and ground cardamom.
• Add oil or butter and mix well.
• Add rose water, and continue to mix.
• Tightly pack the flour mixture into a small rectangular pan that is 3/4" deep.
• Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour to harden the dough.
• Remove from the refrigerator.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
• Cut the dough with a small cookie cutter (3/4" x 3/4". Traditionally a clover or flower cutout is used.).
• Place cookies on a baking sheet one inch apart.
• Garnish with crushed pistachios.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the base of the cookie is slightly golden.
• Allow the cookies to cool before transferring to a cooling rack or storage container. Be careful, as they are delicate.