Puritate

De curand am fost martora unui fenomen mai rar insa extraordinar de dulce. La gradi, incepand cu aceasta toamna am observat toate colegele, cum doi copilasi se iubesc. La inceput, prin primavara, erau destul de reticenti (varstele sunt fragede, pana in 3 anisori si e firesc sa aiba o perioada de adaptare si acceptare) si se tot impungeau insa trecand prin vara si prin nu stiu ce magie si praf de stele, i-am vazut tinandu-se de mana si uitandu-se unul la celalalt ca si cum toata lumea incapea in ei. Iubirea nu poate fi rationalizata, pur si simplu o simti insa eu mai am intrebari de genul acesta pentru ca am mintea mea care se intreaba care e mecanismul. Ce simt ei cand se iau de manute? Ce simt cand se privesc in ochi? Cum explici toata aceasta treaba? Si apoi ma induiosez pentru ca stiu ca ceea ce traiesc ei e ceva pur, iubirea aceea dumnezeiasca si inocenta care conduce la ceva frumos ca o floare.  Sa ii vezi numai cum se privesc! Cum se iau de mana cand se vad, cum se cauta si intreaba unul de celalalt! Cum se duc la culcare si se tot uita unul spre celalalt ca sa vada daca a adormit si apoi sa se culce! Nu dau nume, chiar daca le au minunate, ii voi numi El si Ea. E induiosator sa il vezi pe El cum o urmeaza pe Ea in clasa ei si cum stau impreuna sa manance si cum de cele mai multe ori, trebuie sa inteleaga ca se vor vedea mai tarziu, cand se scoala, sau cand ies afara. Li se explica cum si de ce, cu toata caldura pe care o poate simti o femeie care este cadru didactic si care simte iubirea, caci in inima ei incap toti copiii. Si ei, dulcii, inteleg. Si ii auzi spunandu-si ca se vor revedea mai incolo si se despart cu seninatate stiind ca va veni momentul revederii. Ieri, Ea a fost suparata pe El. A lovit-o, cu intentie sau fara, si ea s-a departat. Si-a vazut de jocul ei singura si l-a respins tot timpul. Ce suparare frumoasa! 🙂 Avea nevoie de momente cu ea ca sa isi revina si sa treaca peste. Pentru ca a trecut, a iertat si peste o vreme, atunci cand a decis Ea, s-au impacat. El a fost la fel de dulce, pentru ca si-a dat seama ce a facut si a tot cautat sa o impace. Apoi poate a inteles cu mintea lui de copil ca e intelept sa se retraga (pana la urma el a gresit) si cand s-au calmat spiritele, i-am revazut impreuna. Iar azi, a facut El o boacana. Si Ea i-a spus sa o lase in pace. A stat in brate la una din educatoare si a imbratisat-o strans, ca o liana si atunci cand a considerat ca e bine, a revenit la joaca si ce crezi? Evident cu El. Iar El, cand Ea lipseste, tot intreaba de Ea: unde e, cand vine. Intr-o zi l-am auzit spunandu-i Ei, in timp ce se tineau de mana, el pe o bicicleta si ea langa el, inaintand asa incet, ca daca ii face cineva ceva, sa ii spuna Lui. Cum i-a venit unui copilas asa mic sa spuna asa ceva? De unde stia El ca trebuie sa aiba grija de Ea? Poate raspunsuri nu exista pentru ca totul se simte, insa exista o lacrima de adult care aduna in ea toata aceasta frumusete si mangaie o inima.

بقلاوه

There you go, the recipe in English. Can you guess what it is about? :)) Of course, you are a smart human being. Now, that you know, I must tell you that this recipe is not mine, it is as old “as time” and very popular around the world. I knew about it before I cooked it. But, when I decided to try it, I said I would find the one I am comfortable doing it. In the Practical Encyclopedia of Easteuropean Cooking, 1999, there it was. My mum had a recipe, I had neighbours who did it, friends and so on. But it happened that I wanted to do it later, when I was abroad and I am content with what I found. This is mine, in a way. And now I want to share it with you. You probably say, why? Aren’t there enough already? And I say: why not? :))

Baklava

24 pieces

Ingredients:

• 175 g/ 6 oz/, 3/4 cup butter, melted (remember, go with 80-82% fat)
• 400 g/ 14 oz packet filo pastry, thawed if frozen
• 30 ml/ 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 60 ml/ 4 tbsp lemon
• 50 g/ 2 oz,  1/4 cup caster sugar (or any sugar you have in the kitchen)
• finely grated rind of 1 lemon
• 10 ml/ 2 tsp cinnamon
• 200 g/ 7 oz, 1 3/4 cups blanched almonds, chopped (replace almonds with nuts if you don’t have them)
• 200 g/ 7 oz, 1 3/4 cups walnuts, chopped
• 75 g/ 3 oz/ 3/4 pistachios or hazelnuts, chopped (again, replace with more nuts :))
• chopped pistachios, to decorate (or go nuts :)) )

Syrup

• 350 g / 12 oz/ 1 3/4 cups caster sugar
• 115 g/ 4 oz/ 1/2 cup clear honey
• 600 ml/ 1 pint/ 2 1/2 cups water
• 2 strips of thinly pared lemon rind

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 160 °C, 325 °F, Gas Mark 3. Brush the base of a shallow 30×20 cm/ 12×8 in loose-bottomed or Swiss roll tin with a little of the melted butter.
• Using the tin as a guide cut the sheets of filo pastry with a sharp  knife to fit the tin exactly. In case you don’t have a similar tin, or you want to use all the pastry, remember that you have to add more ingredients. Do your maths.
• Place one sheet of pastry in the base of the tin, brush with a little melted butter, then repeat until you have used half of the pastry sheets. Set the remaining pastry aside and cover with a clean dish towel
• To make the filling, place the lemon juice, honey and sugar in a pan and heat gently until dissolved. Stir in the lemon rind (half of it), cinnamon and chopped nuts. Mix thoroughly.
• Spread half the filling over pastry, cover with 3 layers of the filo pastry and butter then spread the remaining filling over the pastry.
• Finish by using up the remaining sheets of the pastry and butter on top and brush the top of the pastry liberally with butter.
• Using a sharp knife, carefully mark the pastry into squares, almost cutting through the filling. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour, or until crisp and golden brown.
• Meanwhile, make the syrup. Place the caster sugar, honey, water and lemon rind in a pan and stir over a low heat until the sugar and honey have dissolved. Bring to the boil, then boil for a further 10 minutes until the mixture has thickened slightly.
• Take the syrup off the heat and leave to cool slightly. Remove the baklava from the oven. Remove and discard the lemon rind from the syrup then pour over the pastry. Leave to soak for 6 hours or overnight. Cut into squares and serve, decorated with chopped pistachios.

Iyi iştah!

Tip (for the lazy ones, myself included): use baking paper in the tin and brush it with melted butter. This way, you will have a cleaner and easier to wash tin.