I’m six and I’m sitting with my back to the window of my grandparents’ tiny kitchen in Forest Hills, New York. The yellow gingham café curtains flutter against my back, and my grandparents are standing side by side. Savta (Grandmother in Hebrew) is busy rolling out the dough for her famous date cookies. But I had seen Savta make those often.

Far more fascinating was Saba (Grandfather in Hebrew). He was systematically rolling out thin ropes of yeasted dough and quickly forming them into miniature wreaths. His movements were so fluid and fast it looked like a dance to me. With each tray he finished, Savta would quickly brush the cookie wreaths with egg and sprinkle sesame seeds on top as they made their way into the oven. Savta making her own cookie and simultaneously helping Saba make savoury Syrian biscuits called Ka’ak.

They had been working companionably for almost 40 years, so it was no surprise that they would bake companionably—and almost entirely silently. This wasn’t a baking lesson, thinking back. It was a lesson about love and companionship. That is the last memory I have of my Saba. He passed away later that week, at the age of 59.

These cookies are moreish and crisp and delicious, and yet I find myself shedding a tear as I munch away.

TIP: If your oven runs hot, lower the temperature by 20 degrees and allow the cookies to bake a bit longer, so you have a golden shell and the biscuits are totally cooked through in the centre.

INGREDIENTS:

• 500g (4 cups) plain flour
• 100ml (7 1/2 tablespoons) vegetable oil
• 100g (7 1/2 tablespoons) butter or vegan alternative, softened
• 1 teaspoon fast action yeast
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• 100ml (7 1/2 tablespoons) water
• 1 egg, whisked
• 2 tablespoons small seeds of your choice, nigella, sesame, poppy, or a mixture.

METHOD:

1. Prepare the tray: Line a baking sheet with baking parchment and set aside.
2. Mix the dry ingredients: Place the sifted flour in a large bowl and make a well in the centre.
3. Add wet ingredients: Pour the oil into the well, add the softened butter (or vegan alternative), yeast, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Stir until a dough is formed.
4. Add water gradually: While mixing, slowly pour in the water until the dough is smooth and workable. Knead for a couple of minutes.
5. Shape the cookies: Pinch off small pieces of dough and roll into balls. Roll each ball into a rope about 1cm (⅓ inch) thick and 12–13cm (4–5 inches) long.
6. Form into rings: Shape each rope into a closed ring and place on the prepared tray, spaced about 2cm (¾ inch) apart.
7. Add topping: Brush each ring with the whisked egg and sprinkle with your choice of seeds.
8. Prove the dough: Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F) while leaving the cookies to prove, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
9. Bake the cookies: Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
10. Cool and store: Allow to cool completely before storing in a clean jar or airtight container.

MAKE AHEAD:

The cookies will keep for a week stored in an airtight container at room temperature, or frozen for up to a month.