Tuesday I decided to make rugelach. The last time I made them and took them in to work, everyone loved them, so this time I decided to make a double batch. And then, as I was separating the dough, I remembered what a pain - er, labor of love - rugelach is. There's the mixing, the patting into a ball, the chilling, then there's rolling out, filling up, cutting into wedges, rolling, and chilling AGAIN. All before baking. Of course, baking is alchemy or other arcane science, and the rugelach knew I was in a hurry and therefore was not as delicious as it was the last time, when I made it with hope and love in my heart. All this to say that I only used half of the dough. And so yesterday I was staring into the fridge, waiting for lunch to appear, and I rather sheepishly eyed the remaining balls of rugelach dough. I should really use those, I thought. Oh but the rolling and the cutting and the - Wait! I know! I'll make pasties! (Pastry pasties, not other) That way I would only have to roll once. Surely, I am a culinary genius. I think I even liked these a bit better because there was no burned, oozing jam. Husband ate one and said "no offense hon, but these taste just as good as the rolled-out ones." And I said "good! I told you they were the lazy version!" To which he replied "Can you please stop taking pictures of my carryout pizza from the Rossi so I can eat it? please?" (more on that later)
At any rate, I used the recipe from Ina Garten's Parties book, and since I think you should have it, I am not going to included the recipe; I was going to include the link to the recipe on Food Network, but it doesn't appear to be there. I did change her recipe slightly; instead of using apricot jam, walnuts and raisins, I used sour cherry jam, pecans, and dried tart cherries, chopped a little with a mezzaluna
And here's why it's worth it to buy her books: all of her recipes have been in use for years, and they all work. She thinks and instructs like a caterer and offers very practical advise.
