MM: Bichak (Stuffed Baked Tricorners)
---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05

Title: Bichak (Stuffed Baked Tricorners)
Categories: Appetizers, Israel, Jewish, Afghanistan
Yield: 1 Servings

---------------------------DOUGH---------------------------

1 1/2 c (abt) water, warm
1 ts Sugar
1 pk (1/4 oz, 7 grams) dry yeast
3 1/2 c Flour
3 tb Corn oil
1 Egg, separated
1 Egg yolk, beaten WITH 1/2 ts Corn oil

-------------------------STUFFINGS-------------------------

---------------SQUASH, CALABASA, OR PUMPKIN---------------
1/4 c Corn oil
2 md (2 cups) onions, chopped
1 c -water, hot & 1/4 t salt
2 tb Sugar
1 lb Butternut squash, calabasa, -or pumpkin,

---------------------------MEAT---------------------------

2 tb Corn oil
3 md (2 cups) onion, chopped
1 lb Ground beef or lamb
1/2 ts Salt, or to taste
1/4 ts Pepper, peeled & cut into -1/2-in pieces

--------------------------CHEESE--------------------------

1 lb Farmer cheese
1 Egg yolk, beaten
3 tb Sugar
1/2 ts Ground cinnamon

----------------------------JAM----------------------------

1 c Strawberry or grape or -prune jam (lekach)
2 tb Bread crumbs

Bichak are popular appetizers for tea or coffee hour.
The pumpkin & jam stuffings are on the sweet side
while meat & cheese are savory & could be eaten for
lunches w/salad & dish of yoghurt. An added attraction
is that they may be prepared in large quantities,
cooled & frozen for the future.

Heat oil in a pan, add onions, & saute over moderate
heat until onions turn golden. Add water, salt,
sugar, & squash or calabasa or pumpkin & bring to a
boil. Cover pan & cook over low heat for abt 20 mins
as squash/calabasa/pumpkin becomes soft & disintegrates.
Stir now & then, which in effect mashes contents.
Continue last mins of cooking, uncovered, to
evaporate all liquid & create & thick jam. The mash is
still moist.

MEAT: Heat oil in a skillet & brown onions lightly
over moderate heat. Add meat, salt, & pepper &
stir-fry for 5 mins, making certain liquid has
evaporated & mixture is dry. Cool.
CHEESE: Mix everything together. Set aside.

JAM: Mix jam & crumbs together. Set aside.

TO PREPARE TRICORNERS: 1. Mix 1/2 c warm water, sugar,
& yeast together & proof in a warm place until mixture
foams, abt 10 mins.

2. Make a well in flour, add yeast mixture, oil, & 1
egg white, & stir them into flour. Add balance of
water, or enough water to prepare a soft dough. Knead
for several mins & roll into a ball. Oil top lightly &
leave dough in mixing bowl. Cover bowl w/foil or a
towel & let rise for 45 mins to 1 hour.

3. Punch down dough ball. Pull off abt 1/2 cup of
dough & roll into a slightly flattened ball.
Prepare 6 balls.

4. On well-floured board roll out each ball, 1 at a
time, to 12-" pancake. Using empty can or a cookie
cutter, 3-" in diameter, cut out circles in pancake.
Put 1 tb of whichever stuffing you are using, or
variety of stuffings, in center of each circle. Fold
over right & left side of circle to meet in the center
& bring up bottom to cover stuffing. Pinch ends
together to form tricorner pastry. Seal in contents.
Paint tops of bichak with egg yolk.

5. Line baking pan or cookie sheet w/lightly oiled
aluminum foil. Place tricorners on foil & bake in a
preheated 350F. oven for abt 40 mins, or until brown.
Serve warm. Makes 48 to 50 bichak.

NOTE: Cool bichak, store in plastic bags, & freeze. To
serve, thaw out frozen bichak for 1/2 hour & heat in
preheated 350F. oven for 5-10 mins.

Recipe: "Sephardic Cooking" by Copeland Mark -- 600
Recipes Created in Exotic Sephardic Kitchens from
Morocco to India -- Copyright 1992 Published by Donald
I. Fine, Inc., New York, N.Y. David Pileggi

-----