Qizha ( Palestinian Black Cake )
Nigella Seed Paste (Qizha)
Ingredients:
150g (1 cup) nigella seeds
60ml (¼ cup) olive oil
Method:
Gently roast nigella seeds in a pan over low heat, stirring continuously, for 5-10 minutes until fragrant and slightly darker.
Transfer seeds to a blender or food processor and blend into a semi-powder texture.
Add olive oil and blend until a thick, smooth paste forms.
Nigella Seed Cake with Light Syrup (Makes 30 pieces)
Dry Ingredients:
170g (1⅓ cups) fine semolina
140g (scant 1 cup) plain flour
170g (¾ cup) caster sugar
30g (4 tbsp) cocoa powder
24g (3 tbsp) sesame seeds
1 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
Wet Ingredients:
60ml (¼ cup) olive oil
130g (scant ½ cup) qizha (nigella seed paste)
150-200ml (scant ⅔-¾ cup) warm water
1 tbsp tahini
To Finish:
20g (about 30) blanched almonds
125ml (½ cup) light simple syrup
Method:
Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F/gas 4).
Soak almonds in warm water and set aside.
In a large bowl, mix all dry ingredients.
Add olive oil, gizha, and 150ml of warm water. Mix until a thick batter forms, adding more water (up to 50ml) if needed.Coat a 25cm (10 in) round cake pan with tahini. Spread batter evenly in the pan.
Drain almonds and arrange in a grid pattern on top of the batter.
Bake for 30 minutes.
Once baked, brush the top generously with light simple syrup. Cool in the pan before cutting into diamond shapes.
Store in an airtynt container for up to
Light Simple Syrup
Ingredients:
250g (1 cup) white granulated sugar
250ml (1 cup) water
1 tsp lemon juice or citric acid
2 tsp orange blossom water
Method:
Combine sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves.
Bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat for 5 minutes.
Add lemon juice or citric acid, then remove from heat. Stir in orange blossom water.
Cool and use as required. Store leftovers in airtight container for later use
Recipe by Hisham Assad, from Taboon (Smith Street Books). Reproduced with permission.