Eid al-Fitr celebrations: Ramadan ends in feast-filled bliss

Celebrate Eid al-Fitr, a three-day holiday that marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan

Good Eating staff Chicago Tribune

Today Muslims around the world celebrate Eid al-Fitr, a three-day holiday that marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan. The tradition calls for family and friends to go house to house visiting and enjoying festive meals both sweet and savory.

To commemorate the food-rich holiday, we’ve compiled a few recipes to help you celebrate. But remember, the options for a Middle Eastern feast are endless.

Pistachio baklava

Preparation time: 35 minutes

Cooking time: 50 minutes

Cool down: 1 hour

Serves: 35 pieces

Note: Adapted from a recipe from Hamdi restaurant in Istanbul.

Ingredients:

13 sheets thawed phyllo dough

11/2 sticks (3/4 cup) plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 3/4 cups shelled, chopped pistachios

Sugar syrup:

11/2 cups sugar

1 cup water

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Keep phyllo dough sheets covered with a damp towel as you work. Layer eight sheets of phyllo dough in a buttered 13-by-9-inch baking pan, brushing each layer with butter. Spread the chopped nuts evenly over the top layer. Top with five more sheets of dough, buttering each layer. Cut into squares or diamond shapes to mark dough without cutting all the way through. Bake until golden brown, about 50 minutes.

2. For the sugar syrup, mix the sugar and water in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Heat to a boil; lower heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring, 10 minutes. Let cool; pour mixture over the baklava. Set baklava aside to cool at least 1 hour. Cut into pieces.

Nutrition information per piece: 130 calories, 52 percent of calories from fat, 8 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 12 mg cholesterol, 14 g carbohydrates, 2 g protein, 35 mg sodium, 1 g fiber.

Saffron-perfumed mussel soup

via Eid al-Fitr celebrations: Ramadan ends in feast-filled bliss – chicagotribune.com.