Jachnun (Overnight Slow-Baked Rolled Pastry)
Local name: ג'חנון
In short: Thin dough spread with butter, rolled tightly and baked slowly overnight until deep golden, served with grated tomato, egg and zhug. It takes about 11 h 40 min in total and makes 8 servings.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 11 h
- Resting
- 1 h
- Total
- 11 h 40 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 535 kcal
Jachnun is a rolled pastry that bakes overnight at very low heat, so it is ready for Saturday morning breakfast without anyone standing at the stove. The dough is stretched very thin, spread with butter and rolled up, and the rolls cook for ten hours or more until they are tender inside and deeply caramelized outside. It is served hot with grated tomato, a hard-boiled egg and zhug.
Instructions
- Mix the flour, salt and sugar, add the water and knead for 8 minutes into a soft, smooth dough. Divide into 8 balls, coat each lightly with some of the butter, cover and rest for 1 hour.
- Grease the work surface and your hands with butter. Stretch or roll one ball into a very thin rectangle, about 40 x 30 cm (16 x 12 inches), almost see-through.
- Spread the sheet with about 1 tbsp of soft butter, then roll it up tightly from the long edge into a log. Repeat with the remaining dough, saving a little butter for brushing.
- Curl or fold each log so it fits, then pack the rolls snugly side by side in a heavy lidded pot or deep baking dish about 24 cm (9 1/2 inches) wide. Brush the tops with butter, cover with foil, then put the lid on.
- Heat the oven to 110°C (225°F) and bake for 10 to 12 hours, undisturbed, until the rolls are deep golden brown and meltingly soft.
- Serve hot. Unroll or pull apart each roll and eat with grated tomato, a hard-boiled egg and zhug.
Tips
- Stretch the dough so thin that you can nearly see your hand through it. The patience here is what makes the layers tender.
- Tuck a few whole, unpeeled eggs in among the rolls before the long bake. They come out tan, creamy and rich in flavor.
Questions and answers
Can I bake jachnun for less time?
You can bake it at 150°C (300°F) for 3 to 4 hours for a lighter result, but the dark, caramelized, melt-in-the-mouth texture needs a slow overnight bake.
Is jachnun sweet?
Not really. The dough has only a little sugar, but long baking caramelizes the outside. Some people dip the rolls in honey or date syrup.
How do I reheat jachnun?
Wrap it in foil and warm it at 150°C (300°F) for 20 minutes. It keeps in the fridge for 4 days.
How long does it take to make Jachnun (Overnight Slow-Baked Rolled Pastry)?
About 11 h 40 min in total: 40 min of preparation and 11 h of cooking.
How many calories are in Jachnun (Overnight Slow-Baked Rolled Pastry)?
About 535 kcal per serving, with 14 g of protein, 61 g of carbohydrates and 26 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 535 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 14 g |
| Carbohydrates | 61 g |
| Fat | 26 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 4 g |
| Sodium | 620 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
