Start by making the syrup. Put the honey, sugar, cinnamon, clove,
and lemon zest in a saucepan and add the water. Bring to a boil
and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Add the lemon juice, then chill.
To blanch the almonds, plunge them into boiling water for 1-2 minutes,
until you see signs of their skins loosening. Then drain and slip or
pop them from their skins onto a baking sheet. Toast them in an oven
preheated to 350 F for about 10 minutes - just until they begin to
color. Cool, then chop them very, very finely - if you do this in a
food processor, make sure that the pulses are short, or the nuts
could turn oily. Mix the ground almonds with the sugar and cinnamon
and reserve.
Sift the flour, baking soda and salt together. Put the olive oil
and sugar in a large bowl and beat together - with your fingers
like Andonia - or with a wooden spoon. Beat in the Cognac, the
orange zest, spices, and juice from 2 oranges (about 1/2 cup).
Then beat in the flour, a few spoonfuls at a time, until you have a
malleable dough, adding more flour if it is too soft, and more orange
juice if it is too stiff. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and
knead for 10-15 minutes until very smooth.
Pinch off pieces of dough of about 2 tablespons and form into
flattened oval or lozenge shapes. Place them on an oiled or
non-stick baking sheet. Bake in an oven preheated to 400-425 F
for about 20 minutes, until brown.
When they are cool enough to handle, dip them in the bowl of syrup
for about 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a tray
to cool. Sprinkle with the chopped almond mixture.
Source: Recipes from a Greek Island, by Susie Jacobs
Typed by Karen Mintzias
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