Flaky, caramelized pastry rolls baked overnight at low heat until deeply golden and buttery. Originating from Yemeni Jewish tradition, jachnun is a Shabbat morning delicacy with a uniquely sweet, rich flavor.
Ingredients
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup warm water
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
200g butter or margarine, softened
1 tbsp honey
Hard-boiled eggs for serving
Fresh tomato salsa (sahawiq) for serving
Grated tomato dip (resek) for serving
Instructions
1Mix flour, salt, sugar, and water to form a soft, pliable dough. Knead for 5 minutes until smooth, then rest for 30 minutes.
2Divide dough into 6 portions. Roll each piece paper-thin on a well-greased surface, stretching gently with your hands.
3Spread softened butter generously over the entire surface of each thin sheet of dough.
4Roll up each sheet tightly into a log, then coil it into a spiral. Place spirals snugly in a buttered pot lined with parchment paper.
5Drizzle honey over the top, cover with parchment, seal the lid tightly, and bake at 100C (200F) overnight, at least 10-12 hours.
6Serve golden, caramelized jachnun warm with hard-boiled eggs, grated tomato dip, and sahawiq.
Did You Know?
Jachnun was invented by Yemeni Jews as a Shabbat food — it goes into the oven on Friday afternoon and slow-bakes untouched until Saturday morning.