Remix: Hisham M’Farreh, Chef at the Albright Institute (1994-Present)

Recently, I was looking through some of this blog’s original posts to remove spam comments when I came across this article by the Albright Institute’s chef, Hisham M\’Farreh. The included recipe looked easy to follow and delicious, so I decided to try it at home.

Because this was an experiment, I made a half-batch and ended up with 13 small dinner-sized rolls. I also used three tablespoons of za’atar mix and in the future I would bump this up to at least four. I substituted an Italian cheese blend for the “baladi or Bulgarian salted cheese” and thought it all turned out well (though I’m sure the originals are much better!).

A crucial component of this recipe is za’atar, which not everyone has lying around the house. I didn’t have fresh za’atar leaves at home, but I did have the spice mix (which includes salt and sesame seeds). Mine had been brought back as a present from Israel but it is frequently sold in stores in the US or you can make it yourself.

My rolls didn’t turn out quite as big as the ones in the picture below (probably due to my chilly Boston apartment), but they were tasty and I will definitely try this recipe again! If you have any recipes you’d like to share or if you’ve tried out this one let us know in the comments! I’d love to hear if there are other variations.

-Jen

Without further ado here is the original entry:February 18, 2009

Contributed by Hisham M’Farreh

Food is considered an essential element of human life. As in the old Arabic saying, “the shortest route to someone’s heart is through his stomach.”

I have been working as a cook at the Albright Institute (AIAR) in Jerusalem for about fifteen years, a job which I took after my uncle Omar Jibrin retired, having served as the Institute’s chef for a little over half a century. Uncle Omar had very friendly and good relationships with the Albright Directors, Trustees and Fellows.

I have also had the privilege of forming good friendships with many archaeologists and other students and scholars who come to do research and stay at the Institute. These friendships usually start in the kitchen especially during breaks and at tea time, when people come to talk to me. And these relationships have become stronger over the years.

The long period of experience in my current position has taught me so much about the people who come to do research at the Albright, including Americans, Europeans, Israelis and Palestinians. I have come to learn that the vast majority of them are friendly and modest. They seem to have acquired these characteristics from their special outlook on life. I believe that the search for historical truths, which is the aim of their research and especially their excavations, and which they document in their books, has significantly affected our understanding of human values. Thus, their tasks have shaped their characters; making them decent people with pleasant personalities.

Having said all of this, I should point out something that has influenced my perception of Albright researchers. These people whom I cook for on a daily basis are unlike tourists in hotels who come to this country for a different purpose. Besides, most researchers and archeologists whom I have come to know at the Albright, often return many times to the Institute. This helps to maintain a sense of continuity, and continues to strengthen the friendship between us.

I would like to add that my father was a chef for about 45 years at an archaeological institute in Jerusalem, now known as the Kenyon Institute (previously the British School of Archaeology). I gained a lot of experience in cooking and in my understanding of researchers who come from abroad from my father and also from my uncle, Omar.

Albright Fellows, when about to leave the Institute, have the opportunity to choose their “last supper” and the following recipe is one of their favorites.

Fresh za’atar rolls stuffed with white cheese

Ingredients:
4 cups flour
1 cup fresh za’atar leaves
2 teaspoons yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cup lukewarm water
Filling:
2 cup grated white cheese (baladi or Bulgarian salted cheese)

Directions:

• In a medium bowl sift flour and then add dry ingredients
• Add oil, and za’atar leaves
• Add water
• Mix until a dough is formed
• Cover with a towel for about one hour at room temperature until the dough is doubled in size
• Cut into small balls about the size of an egg
• Fill each ball with the grated cheese and form into a roll
• Put the rolls on baking sheet and let rise for about half an hour at room temperature
• Bake in preheated oven (400F) for about 20 minutes or until light brown
• Serve hot with fresh salad

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