Jennifer Abadi’s Syrian-Style Apricot Haroset

If you haven’t noticed, I’m pretty excited to be cooking my way through Jennifer Abadi’s Too Good to Passover. This haroset from the book highlights an unusual fruit: apricots!

Did you know that the apricot (as well as its close relative the plum) is a member of the rose family? I didn’t until just now, but that does explain the wonderful floral undertones in the flavor.

Apricots probably originated in China and reached ancient Persia and Babylon via the Silk Road. They are latecomers to Europe, however, not having reached Greece until about 100 BCE. The apricot probably reached Judea around the end of the Second Temple period; it is not mentioned in the Bible or Mishnah.

Apricots spread to Spain in the Middle Ages via the Arab conquest, and from there the tree, which does well in moderately cold climates, become common in Central Europe.

Turkey is one of the world’s largest producers of apricots, as it has been for centuries, and apricots are commonly used in the cuisines of the country and its neighbors. According to Gil Marks, some Turkish Jews do add dried apricot to their haroset, though an all-apricot paste with no other fruits, like this one, would be rare.

While not a traditional Syrian haroset recipe—Syrian harosets tend to be date-based—this is one that Abadi developed to encompass flavors evocative of Syrian candied apricots and jams that are an essential part of the food culture. With orange blossom water and pistachios to round things out, this haroset hits all the right notes: it’s sweet, sour, floral, nutty, and just a little bit exotic.

If you have leftovers post-seder, it also makes a great yogurt mix-in.

The recipe below is very slightly modified from the one in the book.

Syrian-Style Haroset (Apricot Spread with Pistachios and Orange Blossom Water)

2 cups whole dried Turkish apricots

½ cup orange juice, preferably freshly squeezed

¾ cup hot water

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 teaspoons orange blossom water

¼ cup shelled unsalted pistachios, raw or roasted, plus 2 additional tablespoons for garnish

Combine apricots, orange juice, water, and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally to prevent burning, until apricots are very soft, about 30–40 minutes.

Pour apricot mixture into a food processor and add the lemon juice and orange blossom water. Pulse for about a minute until a smooth paste forms. Add in the ¼ cup pistachios and pulse a few times, so that the pistachios are not thoroughly broken down.

Scoop out into a medium bowl and scatter reserved 2 tablespoons of pistachios on top for garnish. Serve at room temperature.

Sources: Encyclopedia of Jewish Food (Gil Marks, 2010); Too Good to Passover (Jennifer Felicia Abadi, 2018)