Book of Days Tales

Today is the birthday in 973 of Abu Rayhan Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Biruni, known usually as simply al-Biruni, a Khwarazmian Iranian scholar and polymath during the Islamic Golden Age.  Of al-Biruni’s 146 books, 95 were on astronomy and celestial mathematics.  He also wrote on world cultures and religions, inquiring, for example, why Hindus and Muslims in India hate each other.  After his death around 1050, al-Biruni’s work was forgotten, and it was not rediscovered until the 20^th century.

Here is an old Persian recipe for almond cake to honor al-Biruni.  Saffron and rosewater are classic aromatics for Persian sweets of this kind.

Ingredients

2 cups (14 oz.) sugar

½ tsp. finely ground saffron

3 tbsp. rosewater

9¼ cups (2 ¼ lb.) blanched almond flour, sifted

2 tbsp. finely chopped pistachios

1 tsp. freshly ground cardamom seeds

oil, for greasing

Instructions

Lightly grease a 9½x13-inch baking pan or rimmed baking sheet with oil, then line it with parchment paper and lightly grease the paper.

In a small pot, bring the sugar and 1 cup of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from the heat, add the saffron and rose water, and stir well until the sugar has dissolved. Set aside to cool completely.

Transfer the syrup to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until it is foamy and thickened, about 3 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, gradually fold in the almond flour and mix until you have a thick, homogeneous paste. Transfer the paste to the prepared pan, place a sheet of greased parchment paper on top (oiled side down), and use your hands to flatten the paste. (It should be about 2 inches thick.) Using a rolling pin, flatten the paste further and even out the surface, then transfer to the refrigerator (still covered with parchment paper) for at least 24 hours or up to 3 days.

Oil a long knife, then cut the cake into 25 diamond-shaped pieces. In a small bowl, stir together the pistachios and cardamom, then garnish each diamond with a generous pinch of the pistachio mixture. Serve immediately, or transfer in a single layer to an airtight container, or cover tightly with plastic wrap, refrigerate, and serve within 1 week.