Ethnic Sweets From Nazareth

## What is Bukaj?

Finest pistachios, pine kernels, and cashews nested inside a bowl of our secret layered dough and baked to perfection.

Ingredients
Pistachios (or pine nuts), butter ghee, flour, sugar, milk powder, corn starch.

Characteristics
Bukaj is the only pastry among all assorted Baklava pastries that has the filling totally exposed. Instead of sandwiching the filling like in original Baklava or of enclosing the filling like in Asabi and Kol Weshkor, Bukaj on the other hand resembles an open top purse filled with nuts such as pistachios, pine nuts, and cashews.
It is made from the same dough used to make original Baklava and which resembles phyllo dough.

Meaning and Pronunciation of «Bukaj»
Pronounced [bu-kahj], it comes from the Palestinian word «bukjah» which refers to an old fashion way of making a suitcase from a large piece of fabric. Personal items would be placed in the middle of a large square piece of fabric which is then pulled from its four corners to enclose the items. Bukaj, the pastry, is made in exactly the same way substitution the fabric for the dough and the personal items for nuts.

How is Bukaj Made?
The thin dough and the sugar syrup are first prepared. Then open top purse shaped pastry consisting of raw nuts inside a bowl of dough are prepared and baked.

Preparation of the Dough
Bukaj is made of the same dough used in making original Baklava. Flour, water, and a hint of salt are mixed together to form the dough which is then cut into small balls, each kneaded extensively to form a very thin layer of dough.

Preparation of Bukaj
To form the purse shaped Bukaj, about nine layers of dough are stacked while adding starch between each two layers. The dough is then cut into small square pieces.
Next, filling which consists of either pistachios or a blend of pine nuts and cashews is placed in the middle of each square of dough.
Finally, each square of dough is pulled from its four corners and pushed against the filling in the shape of an open top purse, or the old fashioned Palestinian «bukjah».

Baking
The Bukaj pieces are placed on a baking sheet, and hot melted butter ghee is poured on top. After baking for about one hour on medium temperature, the remaining butter ghee is drained and sugar syrup is added on top.

Serving Suggestions
Bukaj is served as a dessert usually as part of assorted Baklava and Palestinian sweets arrangements.

Popularity
Bukaj is most popular in Lebanon, but it has gained popularity in the United States under the name of «Bird›s Nest».

Classification
Bukaj is one of the Assorted Baklava pastries that is made with phyllo-like dough.
Assorted baklava pastries are made of two forms of dough: Paper thin sheets of dough that resemble the phyllo dough and thin strings of dough called knafeh dough.
Bukaj one type of the Palestinian sweets family.