Montpellier Ears - Les Oreillettes Montpellieraines

posted on: Dec 28, 2024

By: Habeeb Salloum/Arab America Contributing Writer

Clifford A. Wright, culinary historian and author of the award-winning A Mediterranean Feast, states that this Montpellier pastry, related to a series of sweets in North Africa and the Middle East, called qaras (disk-like pastries), was likely inherited from the Arabs. He further states that another similar sweet, Langues-de-Chat, for which the city of Dijon is famous, has a history that can be traced back to Syria.

Makes about 20 pieces

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

grated zests of two lemons

3 eggs, beaten

4 tablespoons butter, melted

1/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon orange blossom water

1 teaspoon vanilla

oil for frying

icing sugar

Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and zests in a mixing bowl, then make a well in the flour mixture and set aside.

Thoroughly mix eggs, butter, milk, orange blossom water and vanilla, then pour this mixture slowly into dry ingredients as the dough is kneaded, adding a little water or flour if necessary.  Cover and allow to rest for an hour.

Roll dough to about 1/8-inch thickness, then cut into about 3-inches in diameter circles and set aside.

Place oil in frying to about 1 inch deep, then heat and fry circles to light brown.  Drain on paper towel.  Let cool, then sprinkle with icing sugar and serve.

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