Om Ali (Ali's mum)

One tradition here is that people are addressed according to the name of their first born son(who could be your 13th child). For instance if you first born son is named Ahmad, the father will be addressed as Abu Ahmad and the mum will be addressed as Om Ahmad. Which I guess further reinforces the cultural need for sons.

So what if you don't have a son? Either you keep on trying until you get one. Or they'd ask you what you think you'll name your son and address you accordingly.

But anyways I am digressing, Anasalwa asked me about Om Ali (Egyptian equivalent of bread and butter pudding), which she said she wasn't very familiar with so I looked in the net for some info and recipe. Sorry Anasalwa, I haven't actually gone round to making it myself because I somehow feel that middle eastern dessert is somewhat sweet and rich, plus its so widely available here that I am not inclined to try it myself. (I bet I will feel different once I move ;)

I poached this recipe from the net:

Om Ali
Origional recipe submitted by Nancy Girgis

It's an Egyptian dessert that contains phyllo dough or puff pastry, milk and nuts. Use any kind of nuts that you would like and eat it with a spoon. Legend has it that Om Ali was the first wife of the sultan Ezz El Din Aybek. When the sultan died, his second wife had a dispute with Om Ali, resulting in the second wife's death. To celebrate, Om Ali made this dessert and distributed it among the people of the land." Original recipe yield: 8 servings.



Image taken from here (Sorry I am unable to view the site myself from here. Its banned and I don't know why.

INGREDIENTS:

* 1 (17.5 ounce) package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed
* 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
* 1 cup chopped pecans
* 1 cup chopped hazelnuts
* 1 cup raisins
* 1 cup flaked coconut
* 1 1/4 cups white sugar, divided
* 4 cups milk
* 1/2 cup heavy cream


DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. Place the pastry sheets in the baking dish and place the dish in the oven. Watch it closely. When the top layer turns crunchy and golden, remove it from the oven. Continue until all the sheets are cooked.
3. Preheat the oven broiler.
4. In a bowl, combine walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, raisins, coconut and 1/4 cup sugar. Break cooked pastry into pieces and stir into nut mixture. Spread mixture evenly in 9x13 inch dish.
5. Bring milk and 1/2 cup sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Pour over nut mixture.
6. Beat the heavy cream with the remaining 1/2 cup sugar until stiff peaks form. Spread evenly over nut mixture in dish.
7. Place dessert under oven broiler until top is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Serve hot.