Bread And Milk Pudding With A Taste Of The Middle East Recipes

BREAD AND MILK PUDDING WITH A TASTE OF THE MIDDLE EAST

Steps:

• Cube the bread - about 1cm or 1/2 inch - no need to remove crust.
• In large bowl stir bread together with nuts and fruit then tip into greased ovenproof dish (mine was about 7"x11"x2").
• Heat the milk, stir in sugar, vanilla, nutmeg and eggs.
• Pour milk mixture over bread mixture and press down the bread so all gets moist.
• Sprinkle sugar over the top.
• Cook in moderate/hot oven for 20-30 minutes (until knife blade comes out clean).
• Flash under hot grill to caramelise the sugar if you wish.
• Serve warm with pouring cream.

UM ALI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 390F (200C). Place the puff pastry squares in a single row on a baking sheet. Brush evenly with butter and sprinkle the sugar on top. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown, then set on counter to cool. Leave the oven on.
• Whip the heavy cream by adding the cold cream to the bowl of a mixer along with the vanilla and sugar, and whipping on medium high speed until soft peaks form. Set aside.
• Add the milk and sugar to a medium saucepan over medium heat, stir until sugar dissolves then bring to a boil. Once the milk boils, remove from heat.
• Break 3/4 of the puff pastry into chunks and scatter on the base of a 9x13 inch pan. Add all the nuts and raisins by sprinkling evenly over the pastry surface. Pour all of the hot milk on top.
• Break up the remaining 1/4 of the puff pastry and scatter it evenly on top of the milk. Spread the whipped cream evenly on the top.
• Turn the oven to the broil function, at the same temperature (390F, 200C). Place um ali in the middle rack of the oven and broil for around 10 minutes, watching carefully, until golden brown and bubbly. Sprinkle with additional pistachio if desired, and serve warm.

OMM ALI (EGYPTIAN BREAD AND BUTTER PUDDING)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Place phyllo pastry on a baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes until crisp.
• Remove from oven and raise temperature to 400 degrees F.
• Scald milk and cream by pouring into a pan and raising heat gradually until hot but not boiling.
• Gradually add the beaten egg and rose water.
• Cook over a very low heat, until the mixture begins to thicken, stirring constantly.
• Using your hands, crumble the pastry and spread it in layers with the nuts and raisins into the bottom of a shallow baking dish.
• Pour the custard mixture over the nut and pastry base and bake for 20 minutes, or until golden.
• Sprinkle with cinnamon and serve with light cream.