A festive Jewish meal means lots (and lots) of nosh. Challah, brisket, kugel and bubbling pots of soup are what come to mind when I think of classic North American Jewish party food. The Syrian Jew in me craves something else: Small bites loaded with texture and flavor. To be more exact, I’d like one bite of each mezze on the table. A typical mezze spread includes small bites like lachmagine, cigars and kibbe, along with hummus and tahini dips. I love chatting and eating my way around the party, sampling every item in a bite or two.
I’m taking my dual loves — Jewish deli and mezze-style small bites — and wrapping them up in a crispy malawach bundle. Malawach is a Yemenite Jewish flatbread, similar in texture to a scallion pancake. It’s sold frozen in round discs, and widely available at kosher markets (though you can also make it from scratch). The dough is generally pan-fried until flaky and served alongside hard-boiled egg, grated tomato and zhug, Yemen’s version of chimichurri. Like puff pastry, malawach bakes up crispy, flaky, chewy and delicious. It doesn’t puff quite as high, but the higher crunch factor is well worth it.
A deli sandwich layered with lots of spicy brown mustard is a Jewish icon. Taking inspiration from this sandwich, I use deli meat as the filling for my malawach croissants — any combination of thinly sliced salami, corned beef, turkey or roast beef will work here. Honey mustard brings a burst of gentle sweetness to the mix, and while you’re cooking up a heap of paprika-dusted fried onions (frying the onions is the most effort you’ll put into this recipe), you slice up your malawach dough and chop the deli meats. The assembly comes together in a flash.
These savory croissants would be right at home as part of a Hanukkah (or New Year’s) spread. I also like to serve these as part of a Shabbat lunch spread. Like deli roll, they’re a crowd pleaser, but there’s no awkward slicing. Bite-size means everyone gets the crispy edges!
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Notes:
- The filling can be made two days ahead of time and refrigerated in an airtight container.
- The filled croissants can be frozen raw. Egg wash and bake directly from frozen, adding 5-7 minutes to baking time.
- Leftover baked croissants can be frozen. Reheat in a 350°F oven (or toaster oven) until warmed through.
This article was produced as part of The Nosher’s Jewish Food Fellows Program, which aims to diversify the voices telling Jewish food stories in media spaces.
Malawach Deli Roll Croissants
Flaky malawach croissants filled with deli meats, honey mustard and crispy onions are a festive, bite-sized Jewish deli twist.
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 36
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp neutral oil
- 1 medium onion, diced (1 cup)
- 1 tsp paprika
- 12 oz assorted deli meat
- 2 Tbsp spicy brown deli mustard
- ¼ cup honey mustard
- salt
- 1 package (6 discs) malawach dough, semi defrosted
For the garnish:
- 1 egg, beaten
- sesame seeds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Using a 10-12-inch skillet, warm the oil over a medium flame. Add the onions and stir until coated with oil. Sauté 5-7 minutes until onion starts to turn translucent. Sprinkle in paprika and cook for another 10 minutes, until onions are tinted red with golden edges.
- While the onions are cooking, dice the deli meat into small pieces — roughly the size of a pinky nail. Set aside.
- Unwrap the discs of dough and place on parchment paper. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut each disc into 6 wedges. Separate the wedges and line up on the parchment paper.
- Add the mustards and deli meat to the pan, stirring to combine. Let cook for 2- 3 minutes to thicken. Allow to cool slightly.
- Place 1 heaping Tbsp of the filling on the widest part of the dough triangle. Roll up, making sure to keep filling encased. Tuck the pointed end of the triangle underneath, creating a croissant shape.
- Arrange croissants on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush with egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Bake at 40°F for 20-25 minutes, until deeply golden and slightly puffed. Cool for 5 minutes before arranging on a serving platter.
Notes
- The filling can be made two days ahead of time and refrigerated in an airtight container.
- The filled croissants can be frozen raw. Egg wash and bake directly from frozen, adding 5-7 minutes to baking time.
- Leftover baked croissants can be frozen. Reheat in a 350°F oven (or toaster oven) until warmed through.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mizrahi
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