Ladies' fingers (Daktyla)
These are traditionally served with Greek coffee, their sweetness offsetting the drink's bitterness.
Makes 20-24
500g plain flour
60ml sunflower oil, plus more to fry
For the Filling:
100g ground almonds
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp caster sugar
1 tsp dried rose petals, crushed or ground in a pestle and mortar, plus extra dried rose petals to garnish
For the syrup:
180g caster sugar Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of ½ lemon
1-2 drops of rose water 1 cinnamon stick
1 Add the flour, oil and 300ml water to a large bowl. Bring together into a soft dough with your hands – add more flour or water if needed to get a soft, well-combined consistency.
2 Turn out onto a floured surface. Leave for a few minutes whilst you make the filling and syrup.
3 In another bowl, add the almonds, cinnamon, sugar and rose petals. Stir and then add a little water to bring the ingredients together. Add the water sparingly as you don’t want a wet mix, just enough to keep the ingredients together. Once combined, set aside.
4 Add the syrup ingredients to a pan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5 mins, or until all the sugar has dissolved. Set aside.
5 Roll out the dough into a rectangle, about 30cm in width, then cut it into rectangles approx. 10cm x 4cm.
6 Brush the edges of each rectangle with the syrup, add 1 tablespoon of almond filling to the centre and fold the pastry over long side to long side. Seal by pressing the edges with a fork.
7 Once you've used up all the dough, heat the oil in a large shallow pan over a medium heat. Test the temperature by dropping a little of the dough in, it should sizzle and rise to the surface.
8 Line plates with kitchen roll and cook the ladies’ fingers in batches for 1-2 mins on each side, or until golden. When all are cooked, dip each finger into the syrup and place on a serving platter. Garnish with dried rose petals.
Cook’s note: Orange blossom oil makes a tasty alternative to rose water.
A huge thank you to my Dad. He made this shoot happen – from getting the recipes to letting us use his house – and, of course, to Mum, who did all the washing up!