Not really sure why these cookies would be called kosher, or even if they are kosher at all, it’s just an old recipe I once got from somebody, and this was its name. But as old recipes go, it’s very good, and we keep using it.

We used to have one of those old-fashioned large-size Etna gas ovens, one I was a little bit afraid of, but perfect for large trays of cookies. But now, I only have just a tiny little electric oven, so I’ll give half the amounts of the original. You can always make a second batch; it’s a very easy recipe. Great to bake on weekends, to take along on a little family day-trip.

Make the dough

Mix the flour, sugar and salt well, then add the butter. Rub until you have something resembling breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk, and knead well with your hands; form into a roundish lump.
Start to pre-heat your oven. Prepare the tray with a piece of baking paper. Now roll out the lump of dough to about 5 mm thinkness.
Add one tablespoon of sugar to the egg white, and give it a quick whisk with a fork. Using a kitchen brush, coat the rolled-out dough with the egg-mixture. Carefully scatter the sesame seed all over the slab of dough.

And bake it

Bake the slab in a pre-heated oven of approximately 180°C. for 20 minutes – make sure they don’t get too dark at the edges. It’s better to set the timer to 17 minutes, and leave them in if they seem too light by then. Get them out and lift the slab off the tray by the paper – careful, hot! Put it on a surface where you can use a knife on – a pizza cutter works well. Cut the slab while it’s still hot; try to end up with strips of about 3 by 5 or 6 cm. Now leave to cool – they will get crisp when they’re cooled off.

If anybody recognizes this recipe, and knows what it’s source could be, I’d be very interested to hear it!