Torta from Red Chickpeas

Platina book 8


Grind up red chickpeas that have been well cooked with their own juice 
and with a little rosewater.  When they have been ground, pass them 
through a strainer into a bowl. Add a pound of almonds so ground up 
that it is not a chore to pass them through the strainer, two ounces 
of raisins, three or four figs ground up at the same time.  And besides 
this, add an ounce of pine kernels coarsely ground, and as much sugar 
and rosewater as you need, and just so much cinnamon and ginger; and 
blend. Put the mixture into a well-greased pan with the pastry crust 
on the bottom. There are those who add starch or pike eggs, so that 
this torta is more firm; when it is cooked, put it almost above the 
fire to make it more colored. It should be thin and sprinkled with 
sugar and rosewater.

1 15 oz can chickpeas, w/ liquid
3/8 c water
1 lb almonds
2 oz raisins
4 figs
1 oz pine nuts
1/2 c sugar
1/8 c rosewater
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t ginger
(starch or pike eggs)
2 t more sugar
a few drops more rosewater
pastry for 2 9" pie crusts

Grind almonds finely, but not to dust. Chop pine nuts coarsely. 
Grind chickpeas in a food processor with the liquid from the can, 
then grind raisins and figs. Stir these and the sugar, rosewater, 
extra water, cinnamon, and ginger together. The pie crust can be 
rolled out and put on a 10"x15" cookie sheet or it can be made into 
two 9" pie shells. The filling is spread on top; it will be thicker 
if made as two pies. Mix extra sugar and rosewater together and 
sprinkle on top.  Bake 30 to 40 minutes for the cookie-sheet version, 
or 50-60 minutes for the pie version, in a 375deg. oven until golden brown.

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