AI-generated image
Bradj (date-filled semolina diamonds)
Bradj: Constantine's griddle-cooked semolina diamonds with a seam of date paste, for the first day of spring
AlgerianWhen the first warm days arrive, families in Constantine and across eastern Algeria mark the spring festival with picnics, boiled eggs and plates of bradj: diamonds of buttery semolina sandwiching a layer of spiced date paste, cooked slowly on a griddle rather than baked. The outside turns golden and crumbly, the date layer stays soft and sticky, and orange-blossom water perfumes the whole thing. Bradj is served warm with a drizzle of honey or a cold glass of buttermilk, and is just as good the next day with coffee. Chef's tip: press the dough together rather than kneading it; worked like bread dough, semolina turns tough, and bradj should break with a crumble.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For the dough
- 1 ⅛ lb medium semolina
- 1 pinch salt
- 4 oz unsalted buttermelted
- 2 tbsp orange-blossom water
- ¾ cup warm waterroughly
For the filling
- 10 ½ oz date paste
- 1 tbsp unsalted buttersoft
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch ground cloves
To serve
- 4 tbsp honey (optional)
Shop this recipe on Amazon
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (2)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Mix 1 ⅛ lb medium semolina and 1 pinch salt in a large bowl. Pour in 4 oz unsalted butter and rub it into the grain with your palms for 3 minutes until every grain is coated and the mixture is sandy and yellow. Cover and leave for 15 minutes for the fat to soak in.
18 minStep 2: Knead 10 ½ oz date paste with 1 tbsp unsalted butter, 1 tsp ground cinnamon and 1 pinch ground cloves until smooth and pliable. If the paste is stiff, warm it for 20 seconds in the microwave.
Step 3: Mix 2 tbsp orange-blossom water into ¾ cup warm water. Sprinkle it over the semolina a little at a time, gathering the grains with your fingertips until they just hold together when pressed. Do not knead.
Step 4: Divide the dough in two. Press one half into a round about 1 cm thick on a sheet of baking paper.
Step 5: Roll the date paste between two sheets of baking paper into a round the same size and lay it on top of the dough. Press the second half of dough out to the same size on paper and flip it over the dates. Pat the stack firmly to about 2.5 cm thick, sealing the edges.
Step 6: With a sharp knife, cut into diamonds about 5 cm long, dipping the knife in water between cuts.
Step 7: Heat a heavy griddle or non-stick pan over a medium-low heat. Cook the diamonds in batches for 8 to 10 minutes per side, without crowding, until both faces are golden brown and the edges feel set.
20 minStep 8: Serve warm, drizzled with 4 tbsp honey if you like. They keep for 3 days in an airtight tin.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 470 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 74 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bradj (date-filled semolina diamonds) take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of unsalted butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of unsalted butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Baklava
The famous layered pastry: crisp sheets of buttered fillo sandwich a filling of almonds, pistachios and cashews spiced with cinnamon, cardamom and saffron. After baking, the hot baklava is soaked in a syrup of sugar, honey, lemon, rose and cardamom and decorated with almond and pistachio flakes. Cut into 40 diamonds; serve with fresh cream or ice cream.
Undu walalu
Walalu means bangles, and these dark, sticky rings of fried urad dal soaked in kithul treacle are a sweet that Sinhala families bring out for Avurudu and for special almsgivings, often made in large batches by an aunt known for her steady hand. A thick, fluffy paste of ground black gram is piped into loops and fried until crisp, then plunged straight into warm treacle, so the rings stay crunchy on the outside while drinking up the syrup. They taste a little like a darker, smokier jalebi, with a toffee finish from the palm treacle. Watery batter is what ruins them; it spreads into flat blobs, so grind the soaked dal with as little water as possible and beat it until light. This recipe uses no asafoetida, so it is naturally gluten free. Chef's tip: pipe the rings onto small squares of baking paper and lower them into the oil paper and all; the paper peels away in seconds.
Sri Lankan
Marquesitas
Evening in Mérida's Plaza Grande means the smell of marquesitas: thin batter pressed in hot hinged irons until crisp, then rolled like a cigar around grated Edam cheese and a sweet filling such as cajeta, chocolate-hazelnut spread or jam. Edam came to the Yucatán through the port trade with the Netherlands and became part of the local cooking, and the salty-sweet combination is the whole point. At home you can cook them in a thin, wide frying pan. Edam is usually made with animal rennet, so check the label or use a vegetarian Gouda-style cheese. Chef's tip: roll while the crêpe is still in the pan and hot; within seconds it hardens and will crack.
Mexican