Imqaret

Ingredients

Quantities for 12 servings.

• 500 g Flour
• 180 g Margarine or lard
• 120 ml Cold water
• 600 g Dates, pitted
• 2 tsp Aniseed
• 1 piece Orange zest
• 1 piece Lemon zest
• 40 ml Anise liqueur
• 800 ml Oil for frying
• 1 pinch Salt

Method

1. Chop the dates and put them in a pan with the zests, aniseed and liqueur.
2. Cook the filling over a low heat for twenty minutes, to a thick even paste.
3. Cool the filling completely; warm, it tears the pastry as you wrap it.
4. Cut the margarine into the flour with salt to a crumb and bring the dough together with cold water.
5. Roll the dough into a long strip twelve centimetres wide.
6. Lay a rope of the date paste down the centre, fold the edges over and press the seam.
7. Cut it on the diagonal into diamonds and fry them at 180 °C, two minutes a side.