Della's Delights: Klecha - Sweet Walnut Pastry Bites

A traditionally middle-eastern sweet. Usually served with tea after dinner. There are many variations to this sweet from morocco through to Iraq.
Here I have made it Iraqi style with sugared walnuts.

Two and a half cups plain flour

Three teaspoons Fast Action Dried Yeast

One teaspoon salt

Half Cup Oil

Natural Yoghurt

Half Cup Warm water

One egg white

For The Filling:

Walnuts

Sugar

Cardamom

To start with, measure out two and a half cups plain flour, add the salt and yeast and sieve into a mixing bowl.

Separate the egg whites from the yolk. Set the yolk aside for later and stir the egg whites into the flour mix.

Then add half a cup of oil (I have used sunflower, but again vegetable or olive oil are fine!)

Mix half a cup of water with a small amount of natural yoghurt and stir in, this helps the pastry tenderize.

Continue to mix until all ingredients are blended together.

Once the pastry is easily malleable cover with cling film, then a tea towel and keep in a warm place for 1-3 hours depending on how much time you have.

While you wait prepare the filling.

Walnuts and Sugar.

Next add the Cardomom. You can make life easy for yourself and use ground Cardomom, the hard work already done for you, but I find by grinding it myself with a pestle and mortar I get a much better flavour, taste and smell!!

Remove the outer shell and with the walnuts and sugar, use the pestle and mortar again to grind the mixture.

You are now ready to make the pastries!

Here I have used the tools specifically for making Klecha, but there is no wrong in using your hands. To be honest, it actually comes out better when you do so anyway. You are able to make and mould it yourself.