How nice is that? They look yummy and gluten free? Please, please, please share the recipe with us after you return! Have a fun weekend!

Glad to hear it arrived safely and that you're getting some good use out of it. I was fascinated when I first purchased the book, but figured I'd never use it - so when you asked, I said "Why not?!" And my boss let's us send anything from work and pays the postage. So it didn't cost me a dime to send it! Please let us know what your SIL thinks!

Isn't that nice! As a Southern girl, I love surcies.

Pat-- your boss? What's the news? Is this a cooking related job?

Ellen - wishful thinking. It's the padlock distributor company I've worked part-time for - for a little over a year now. They are just the BEST. We can mail anything, anytime for free! So now I'm sorting out my old cookbooks and may make some more available for surcies soon!

Hey - one more thing - I'm a true Southern girl, born & raised, but had never heard the term "surcie" until I came here.

I think I'm missing something - what did she send you? I can tell it must be a cookbook, but what's the name? I'm excited for you, and those cookies look delicious! What are they called? Inquiring minds want to know. (Or ignorant minds, as in my case, lol.)

Sally

Sally, you aren't alone, LOL.

I'd also like the recipe. I have an aunt with Celiac Disease and Elery's daughter is gluten intolerant, so that would be a good addition at the holidays.

And how did you make your own rice flour, loves2cook?

Annie

Sally, Pat was kind enough to send me a cookbook bt Persian Author Najmieh K. Batmangli called A Taste of Persia

Compumom and Anni - recipe follows. I ran two cups of basmati rice through my Nutrimill to grind it into flour.

For the recipe you will need 3/4 cup room temp syrup made by boiling 1 1/2 cups sugar with 1/2 cup water. You can save or discard any extra.

You will also need 1 cup Ghee. I made this by melting 1 cup butter in a saucepan, covering it and simmering for 18 minutes. Then strain through muslin (I used my yogurt strainer) and cool to just solid.

3 egg yolks
1 Tbsp Sugar
1 cup Ghee or clarified butter
1/2 cup corn oil
1 1/2 tsp cardamon
3 cups rice flour
3/4 cup surup
2 Tbsp Poppy seeds

Combine egg yolks and sugar and beat till creamy

In another mixing bowl, combine butter, oil, cardamon and flour. Mix well for a few minutes then add yolk mixture and beat for a few seconds. Add the syrup and knead well for a few seconds or until the dough no longer sticks to your hands. Allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes at room temp.

Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheets with parchment.

Roll dough into balls the size of hazelnuts, flatten slightly and place on cookie sheet leaving 2" between cookies. Stamp cookies with design using fork (I used a disk from my cookie press) and sprinkle with poppy seeds.

Bake 10 - 15 minutes (I did 12 in my Miele on convection). Cookies should still be white or very slightly colored when done.

Allow to cool and carefully remove from trays. They crumble VERY easily.

NUSH-E-JAN! (which I think is Persian for Bon Appetite - I will ask SIL)

I forgot to add that the recipe says it makes 36 cookies but either they have HUGE hazelnuts in Persia or I don't really know how big a hazelnut is. I used a small scoop (about 1 1/2 tsp) and made 72+ cookies

Oh thank you!! I won't be grinding my own rice flour though, do you think I could use the bulk ground rice flour from Whole Foods?

What a nice gift, and interesting, too. It's fun to learn to cook dishes from a variety of cultures and places.

Sally

What a nice gift from Pat. Enjoy your "surcie".

Those cookies look amazing. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

Ann

Thanks, loves2cook. I doubt that I'll mill my own rice flour either, but I can buy some the next time I go to "the city". I do have basmati rice though, so you never know. (grin) I can get ghee at the Mediterranean Market, but I think it would be just as simple to make my own, so thanks for those directions too.

This would be a great addition to christmas cookies for those members of my family who avoid gluten.

Pat, that's a very interesting cookbook choice, and I think it's got a good home.

Annie