This is an ancient dessert that is served “to the poor and rich alike,” both in Egypt and at the hotel buffets around the Arab world. It is reminiscent of the Lebanese dish, aish elsaraya, which is also made with day old bread.
MAKES: 10 servings
INGREDIENTS:
- 1⅓ Pounds (600G) day-old
- White bread
- 4¼ Cups (1l) milk
- 1 Cup (200g) sugar
- Cups (473ml) sweetened
- Condensed milk
- ⅘ Cup (120g) golden raisins
- ⅘ Cup (120g) walnuts
- 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
- 1¾ Cups (250g) blanched
- Almonds
- ⅘ Cup (98g) pistachio nuts
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Cut off the crust from the bread. Pour milk over the bread and let it stand until the bread has softened.
- Allow the bread to drain and place it in a saucepan. Add sugar and stir over medium heat until it turns into a smooth and doughy mixture.
- Add the condensed milk, raisins, walnuts, and cinnamon. Coarsely chop the almonds and pistachios and add them.
- Mix all ingredients together and pour into an ovenproof dish.
- Put the dish in the oven for a few minutes until the surface has a nice golden brown tone. Remove the dish, garnish with soaked raisins, and serve.
TIP:
- Once I met a French chef in Kuwait, who told me that he replaced the day-old bread with day old croissants, and he claimed that the result was even better.
