This recipe comes via Chef Jennifer Abadi and Zabar’s. The aromatic, citrus notes of cardamom add flair to a simple cake.

Preparation time is one hour; the cake yields eight to ten servings.

RECIPE: FLOURLESS PERSIAN PISTACHIO CAKE
WITH CARDAMOM SYRUP

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

 
Wet Ingredients

Ground nuts replace flour in cakes for Passover. Photo courtesy Zabar’s.

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT oven to 350°F.

2. POUR pistachios into a food processor and pulse until they become a fine meal-like consistency, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the matzoh meal and pulse together an additional minute.

3. POUR ground pistachio mixture into a medium size bowl and combine with remaining dry ingredients.

4. ADD the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well.

5. POUR the batter into a greased 8- or 9-inch square baking pan and sprinkle with whole pistachios. Bake on the middle rack for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and center of cake is soft but not wet (cake should still be fairly moist). Meanwhile, prepare the syrup.

6. COMBINE the sugar, salt, pepper, and water in a medium-size saucepan. Bring to a bubbling simmer over medium heat. Add the ground cardamom and cardamom pods, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally (the liquid will thicken slightly). Remove from heat.

7. REMOVE cake from oven and cool 15 to 20 minutes. Cut into squares and serve at room temperature sprinkled with the cardamom-sugar syrup.