Brides Fingers (Asabia Aroos)

Most Americans have heard of Baklava which are delicious. You might want to try this Afghan treat which is just as delicious but easier to prepare and to eat, and lower in calories and fat.

Ingredients

Sweet Syrup: (See recipe below)
1/2 package (16 oz.) frozen filo dough, completely defrosted
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted (optional)

Filling

1/2 cup almonds or pistachios, pulverized in food processor with
1/3 cup sugar
Glaze
1 egg, beaten
sugar

Directions

1. Prepare the syrup in advance and chill in the refrigerator.
2. Combine the filling ingredients.
3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease 1 or 2 baking sheets.
4. Cut the filo in half crosswise and again in half, stacking the covering with a slightly dampened towel to prevent drying. Lay 2 rectangles on your work surface with the shorter sides facing you, and brush lightly with melted butter.
5. Place a rounded tablespoon of the filling in a line across the shorter side of filo that faces you. Fold the longer edges of the pastry inward, sealing in the sides of the filling, and roll the pastry up from the short side, forming a fat cigar shape. Place on the baking sheet with the cut edge down. Repeat with remaining dough.
6. Brush the tops of the pastries lightly with a bit of beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar.
7. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown.
8. Dip the warm fingers into cool Sweet Syrup and arrange on a serving tray. Serve at room temperature.

Syrup

The general rule for syrup is to pour hot syrup over cold (or room temperature) pastries and to serve cold syrup over hot pastries.
In some areas, eating syrup and honey is superstitiously believed to ward off the djinn (evil spirits) and to make life sweeter.

3 cups sugar
1-1/2 cups water
1 lemon
1 tbsp. orange-blossom water or rosewater

1. Boil the sugar with the water until dissolved and viscous, about 10 minutes.
2. Stir in the remaining ingredients and remove from the heat