Thursday, September 5, 2013

Thursday's Bible Recipe: Goat's Milk and Pomegranate Syrup Torte

Image

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
¼ cup light olive oil
¼ cup sunflower oil
½ cup beer
1½ cups creamy goat cheese (or sheep's milk cheese)
¾ cup pomegranate juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. ground mastic
½ tsp. ground allspice
2 eggs ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl combine the flour with the baking powder. Add the oils and beer and mix briefly by hand into a soft, oily dough. (If it becomes too soft to handle, add a bit more flour to your hands and knead again.) Work the dough mixture into a ball; cover and set aside for 10 minutes or so. Take the dough and flatten it with both hands. Place in a baking pan with a removable bottom and press it evenly against the bottom surface as well as up the sides. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes. Uncover the pan, prick the dough all over with a fork, and bake for 15–20 minutes more. (The crust should look slightly browned.) Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. In the meantime, combine the cheese, pomegranate juice, vanilla extract, mastic, and allspice in a blender until smooth. Add the eggs and blend again. Pour into the prepared crust and even out the surface with an icing spatula or flat spoon. Bake for approximately 30 minutes. While still warm, sprinkle with a bit of ground nutmeg. Let cool before serving.