Making friends with food

Recipe | Melomakarona (traditional cookies with honey and walnuts)

Ingredients:

1/2 kg flour

250 g olive oil

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 glass orange juice

2 tbsp cognac (brandy)

1/2 tsp soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

100 g walnuts, chopped, and a little more cinnamon to sprinkle at the end

For syrup:

1 cup sugar

1 cup honey

1 cup water

Method:

Beat together olive oil, sugar, orange juice and cognac. Sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon and soda. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the oil mixture and knead gently.

Pinch off small portions of dough the size of a chicken egg and form them into little patties. Roll them to make oblong rolls. Place on the baking tray and bake in moderate oven for 30 minutes.

Boil honey, sugar and water for five minutes. Pour syrup over Melomakarona. Allow them to soak for 2-3 hours, then take them out of the syrup and place on large plate.

Sprinkle with chopped walnuts and cinnamon. Make about 25 pieces. You can preserve them in a storage box for a very long time, up to a month.