Umm ali is the classic Egyptian dessert, an Arab version of bread pudding made with layers of very thin crisp flatbread and toasted nuts soaked with sweetened milk. I use a larger quantity of nuts than most people to give the
pudding more crunch and I omit the melted butter. I also add a little orange blossom water to the milk to add an intriguing flavor note. Egyptians use reqaq (which means “flattened very thin”) bread, which is not widely
available in the West, so I suggest using toasted markouk (“handkerchief bread”) or the thinnest lavash you can find, although I find it ironic that you first toast bread in order to then soak it in milk. Umm ali is best served freshly baked so that the bread retains a slight crunch, and it is a good idea to time it so that it can be served straight out of the oven.
SERVES 4 TO 6
INGREDIENTS
- 7 ounces (250 g) markouk (handkerchief bread), about 1¾ sheets
- 2⅓ cups (350 g) mixed nuts (pistachios, hazelnuts, peanuts, cashews, almonds, and walnuts)
- 3 cups (750 ml) organic whole milk
- ½ cup (100 g) raw cane sugar
- 1 tablespoon orange blossom water
- ¼ cup (50 g) golden raisins, soaked for about 1 hour in water
- Crème fraîche, for serving
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Lay one sheet of markouk over a large baking sheet and toast for about 8 minutes, until golden. Remove from the baking sheet and lay the remaining sheet on the baking sheet. Toast until crisp and golden. Keep the oven on.
- Break the toasted bread into medium pieces and arrange half of the toasted bread in a 2½-inch (6 cm) deep oval baking dish about 11 x 6 inches (27.5 x 15 cm).
- Spread the nuts on a large baking sheet and toast in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool.
- Put the milk and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring every now and then. Remove from the heat and add the orange blossom water.
- Drain the golden raisins and spread half of them over the bread. Spread half the nuts over the raisins and cover with the remaining bread. Pour the hot milk over the bread and scatter the remaining raisins and nuts all over the top.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the milk is almost completely absorbed and the bread is a little crisp around the edges. Serve immediately with crème fraîche for each diner to dollop over their umm ali.
