The Altitude Adjustment Section
This week I have a recipe from Susan Purdy’s high altitude book Pie in the Sky to share with you. It's for a classic Jewish cookie called Rugulach. Bet you can't eat just one!
Ingredients for basic pastry
8 ounces Philadelphia cream cheese
2 sticks (1/2 pound) unsalted butter, room temp
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
Ingredients for nut filling
1 cup finely chopped walnuts or almonds
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
Procedure
In the large bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment beat the cream cheese and butter till very smooth. Add the flour and salt and just blend till combined. Over mixing will make the dough tough. Turn the dough onto a piece of lightly floured plastic wrap and pat into a flat disk. Wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight. While dough is chilling make filling. Just mix stuff together in bowl and set aside.
When you are ready to assemble cookies take out dough, divide in quarters and keep other parts in frig till ready to use. On a lightly floured surface roll dough into a 9 inch circle 1/8 inch thick. Us a pizza cutter dipped in flour to cut dough wedges into16ths. Brush dough with egg wash made with 1 whole egg and 1 tablespoon water beaten with a fork . Now sprinkle with nut topping and roll up from fat to thin end forming a crescent shape. Brush outside with more glaze and sprinkle more nut topping on the outside. Place on parchment lined cookie sheet in a preheated 375 degree oven for 15-20 minutes in the bottom 1/3rd of the oven. They hold well in an air tight container but who doesn't!
