Kolche ab-e-dandaan means melt in the mouth cookie in Arabic. And that is exactly what they do when you take a bite. No wonder really: they are made with a generous splash of oil and a large helping of icing sugar. This round crumbly cookie is a classic in Afghanistan. The basic ingredients and the easy preparation make this cookie with its pretty green pistachio garnish a perfect nibble to serve at the end of a festive meal. The kolche ab-e-dandaan cookie was traditionally baked for New Year and was meant to be served to guests. Fat was expensive and if you wanted to spoil your guests you would serve them the fattiest bit of meat, the creamiest milk and the richest cookies. I made a few batches of dough before I had the consistency of this cookie right. I thought that kneading the dough so long was not really necessary and skipped that. But every time the dough was too crumbly to use and I had to add more oil. The result was a very greasy and flat cookie! After a few tries I finally obediently kneaded for 10 minutes and both dough and cookie turned out perfect. I will try not to be so stubborn next time……..
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kolche ab-e-dandaan koekje from Afghanistan
for about 12 cookies
Pour in the oil.
Knead for at least 10 mins. into a soft, slightly crumbly dough.
Take about 20 grams of the dough and roll into a ball. Place the balls on a cookie sheet covered with baking paper.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F.
Grind the pistachio nuts finely in the small bowl of a food processor.
Press in the middle of the balls with your thumb.
Sprinkle some ground pistachios in the hollow.
Bake the cookies in the middle of the oven for 15-20 mins. They should still be nice and pale on top and lightly colored on the bottom.
Take them out of the oven and leave to cool on the cookie sheet. Sprinkle with some extra pistachios.
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