Kollaj is a popular Palestinian dessert of filo dough filled with crushed almonds and cinnamon, and baked in the oven. It is especially popular in the almond season in July using these yummy and fresh nuts.
Ingredients
- 1 packet Kollaj dough (available in Arabic stores)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon
- 3 tablespoons cinnamon
- 5 packs Canaan almonds (75g/pack)
- Butter/Arabic Samneh
- Prepare Sugar Syrup
- Add 1 cup of sugar with 1 ½ cups of water and stir lightly until it boils.
- When it boils, add 1 teaspoon of lemon and stir for another minute, then set aside.
Prepare Kollaj Rolls
- Crush almonds with a mortar and pestle or with a mixer. (Roast almonds in a pan on a stove before crushing for more flavor).
- Mix 5 tablespoons of sugar, 3 tablespoons of cinnamon, and crushed almonds together in a bowl, and set aside.
- Paint a tray with a light layer of butter using a brush.
- Cut kollaj dough into smaller parts, then fill each part with 2 tablespoons of the cinnamon, sugar, and almond mix.
- Fold the sides of the kollaj dough and then roll them as if you’re rolling grape-leaves.
- Place kollaj in rows on the tray.
- When all kollaj rolls are on the tray, paint the surface of the kollaj with butter using a brush.
- Bake the kollaj rolls 12-15 minutes until the golden.
- Pour sugar syrup onto kollaj rolls and put it in the oven for another minute, then garnish with ground pistachio (optional), and serve hot.
