Halwa is a dessert with ancient origins, known throughout the Middle Eastern area, restorative and substantial, easy to prepare as long as you carefully follow the various stages of the procedure and at least initially paying attention to the doses. The term that indicates this famous and typical traditional dessert has now become synonymous with sweet, tender, malleable, therefore untranslatable in a single word, which would not render the many values ​​of meaning. In ancient times it was eaten with bread as a real, nutritious and energetic meal. Refrigerated, this dessert increases its texture.

INGREDIENTS FOR PEOPLE 6

• 480 g of white flour
• 360 g of butter
• 240 g of granulated sugar
• 250 g of water
• 65 ml of rose water
• 1 teaspoon of pulverized saffron pistils dissolved in 60 ml of hot water
• 2-3 cardamom seeds ground in a mortar
• Cinnamon powder
• To garnish: coconut, pistachios and peeled almonds cut into strips or minced.

PREPARATION
Toast the flour in a non-stick pan over very low heat, stirring constantly until it changes color, gradually passing from white to an increasingly dark amber. This operation is fundamental and it is very important to carry it out for the time necessary until the flour begins to emit smoke and a characteristic aroma. Only at this point add the butter (which you have left to soften at room temperature) and continue to mix, mixing well. Prepare a syrup by dissolving the sugar in the water and adding the saffron reduced to a very fine powder, cardamom and rose water. When the syrup is hot pour it slowly and gradually into the mixture of butter and flour, stirring constantly. Keep it on the fire until the flour is completely cooked, absorbing all the syrup and has a nice amber color; when it comes off well from the edges of the pot and the mixture is homogeneous, dish it on a flat plate or tray so that it is no higher than 1-1,5 cm and, before it cools, give it the shape you want, helping yourself with a spoon to make any decorations on the surface. You can also form small crushed balls that you will sprinkle with ground cinnamon and / or coconut, pistachios and almonds, chopped or in strips.