Moroccan Cooking Class with Hind Mhaouer

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Pulse the walnuts in a food processor until ground into small pieces.
3. In a large bowl, beat the egg and butter using a hand mixer until smooth. Blend in the sugar and the jam.
4. In a small bowl, combine together the all-purpose flour and baking powder. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet. Add the ground walnuts and mix until you get a smooth dough. Cover and let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour.
5. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and then roll each one in powdered sugar. Arrange on the baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch between them.
6. Bake for 4 minutes, then rotate the sheet. Bake for 3-5 minutes more until golden and firm at the edges and cracked on the surface. The center of the cookies should still be soft.
7. Let cool and dust with some extra powdered sugar before serving, if needed.

1. Mix flour and semolina together in a large bowl. Add water, yeast, salt, and olive oil. Mix together with a fork until the liquid is absorbed, then start kneading roughly with your hands in the bowl until you can form a sticky, lumpy ball.
2. Cover bowl and let rest for 15 minutes.
3. Lightly knead your dough and shape into a ball. Divide the dough and roll into 4 equal balls. On a cookie sheet dusted with semolina, place the balls of dough, sprinkle more semolina on the tops of the balls and cover with a clean towel. Let rest for 10 minutes.
4. Roll out each ball on a flour-dusted surface to a 1/2-inch thickness. Move the flattened dough to a flour dusted surface and cover with a clean towel. Repeat until you have no dough left to roll. Cover the dough balls and let them rise for 20 minutes.
5. Heat up a pan on medium and place one pita on the pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side. Make sure that you flip your pita every 15 seconds to ensure even cooking and a proper rise.

1. Mix all the ingredients to make a delicious tasty marinated olives.

Harira Soup

1. Saute Aromatics
   1. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onions and celery, parsley, and cilantro. Saute for aboout 2-3 minutes.
2. Add Spices & Tomatoes
   1. Stir in ginger, turmeric, and pepper. Add the blended tomatoes and tomato paste. Cook for another 2 minutes, stirring often.
3. Add Legumes & Broth
   1. Add chickpeas, lentils, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer partially covered for about 25-30 minutes, or until the legumes are tender.
4. Thicken the Soup
   1. Stir in the flour-water mixture to remove lumps, then slowly pour it into the soup while stirring. Simmer for another 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens.
5. Add Vermicelli
   1. Add vermicelli noodles and cook until soft, around 10 minutes.
6. Adjust Seasoning
   1. Taste and adjust salt or spices as needed. The soup should be thick and flavorful.