Persian Ghotab recipe

Spring is coming, and Nowruz is around the corner. So, I started baking pastries for the Norouz holiday. Because it is one of the things, we serve to our guests. You can find many mouthwatering foods for Nowruz on Celebrate Persian New Year With Nowruz Foods. One of the most favorite Persian pastries is Qottab or Ghotab. Ghotab can be served every month of the year, and it is not just for Nowruz. It is originally a souvenir of Yazd and Kerman province. Qottab’s ingredients are easy to find. You need flour, yogurt, egg folk, butter, baking powder, walnut, and pistachio. We make it flavored with rosewater, cinnamon, and cardamom. Wow! I can not wait for it. Let’s dive into the Ghotab recipe.

Qottab ingredients

To make our pistachio-walnut filled crescent, we need ingredients like walnut, pistachio, or almond. We mix them with rosewater, cinnamon, cardamom, and confectioners’ sugar for filling. Now you can see all the ingredients below in the list and provide them.

Note: like every pastry, it is better to let the ingredients reach room temperature and use them.

• 2 egg yolks
• ½ cup plain yogurt
• 100 gr butter
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1 cup walnut
• ¾ cup confectioners’ sugar or sugar powder
• 1 tbsp. rosewater
• 1 tsp cardamom powder

Ghotab recipe

Qottab recipe has three steps. First, we will make the dough and let it rest. While the Ghotab’s dough is resting, it is time for filling preparation. Finally, we will assemble the Qottab, and it is frying time.

Dough

1. For baking Qottab, mix 2 egg yolks with 100 gr butter.
2. Add 1 teaspoon baking powder in ½ cup plain yogurt.
3. After 5 minutes, mix yogurt and 1 teaspoon cinnamon with egg yolks and butter.
4. Sift all-purpose flour slowly in the mixture and whisk them continuously.
5. Add flour till making the dough. The dough should be soft, and it must not stick to your hand.
6. Grease a bowl. Transfer the dough and cover it. Let it rest in a warm place for 2 hours.

Filling

We want to make walnut fillings. You can also make almond or pistachio fillings just by using almond or pistachio instead of walnut.

1. Grind 1 cup of walnut.
2. Mix it with 1 tsp cinnamon powder, 1 tsp cardamom powder, 1/3 cup of sugar powder and 1 tbsp rosewater. Then mix them well.

Preparation

1. Flour the workspace. Roll out the dough at 3 mm or 0.1-inch thickness.
2. Cut the dough into 5 cm or 2 inches circular shapes.
3. Place 1 tablespoon of walnut filling onto the centre.
4. Fold the dough and make a half-circle shape. Press the edges on each other and seal them. To seal the edges, you can use your finger or fork.
5. Repeat these steps to use all ingredients.
6. Fill up a saucepan 2 inches of vegetable oil for frying. Heat it on slow heat till making hot.
7. When the oil is hot, place walnut crescents in the oil. Heat them on low heat till making them slightly brown. Do not overheat them. They will burn.
8. Place Qottabs on a paper towel to remove excess oil.
9. When Ghotabs get colder, dip them in sugar powder.
10. Bon appetite! Our delicious Ghottab is ready!

How to serve Qottab

Place them in a beautiful container. Pour Sugar Powder on them. Also, you can use pistachio powder to garnish it. Store Qottab in an airtight container at room temperature for about 30 days. Serve it with Iranian tea in the afternoon and enjoy it!

Is it possible to cook Ghotab in the oven?

The answer is yes! You can preheat the oven to 350F or 170C for about 15 minutes and place the baking sheet. Whisk an egg yolk with a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Spread the mixture with a brush on Ghottab. Put them in the oven for about 15 minutes. Our Qottab is ready to dip in sugar after cooling. The original recipe for walnut crescents is to fry them. But using the oven is healthier.

I recommend you to try this fantastic pastry and enjoy its sweet taste. Then tell me about your experience in the comments.

If you are looking for another Persian dessert, visit Halva and Sholeh Zard recipe.