North African Date-Walnut Balls

There are several Sephardic treats that are fun and easy to prepare for Tu Bishvat. You can obtain the ingredients no matter where you live since they are made from dried fruits and nuts.

Introduction

Here are some recipes inspired by Claudia Roden’s "The Book of Jewish Food."

Ingredients

1 Lb. dried dates
2 ½ cups toasted, chopped walnuts
½ cup toasted, ground walnuts

Preparation

Step 1

Place the dates in a food processor.

Step 2

Grind them into a paste, adding a little cold water if necessary.

Step 3

When the dates are transformed into a paste, mix in the chopped walnuts.

Step 4

Rub a little olive oil into your hands. This will prevent the paste from sticking to your fingers. Shape the paste into little balls.

Step 5

Roll the date-nut balls in the ground walnuts to garnish.