Persian Charoset Recipe with Fresh and Dried Fruit
Sweet wine and fresh and dried fruit come together with warm fragrant spices and crunchy nuts for a delicious Persian style charoset for Passover. Recipe adapted from Joan Nathan's King Solomon's Table cookbook. Used with permission from author and publisher.
Prep walnut decoration: in a large food processor fitted with a metal blade, pulse 1 cup walnuts until they are in finely ground into tiny pieces, and set aside for decoration.
Add nuts, dried fruits, spices: Combine the remaining ½ cup of the walnuts, almonds, pistachios, walnuts, black and golden raisins, dates, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and nutmeg. Pulse until the nuts are coarsely chopped.
Add fresh fruit and liquids: Add the apple, pear, and banana, and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add vinegar, pomegranate juice, and wine. Pulse again, and check for consistency- the mixture should stick together in a thick paste that is lightly textured with tiny pieces, but not chunks. If needed, add another splash of any of the liquids to make a coarse paste, and pulse again. Stop the food processor before the paste is completely smooth.
Roll the haroset balls: make the portions using a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop (or spoon), and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Then lightly wet hands, and roll each one into a 1 inch round ball.
Decorate: place ground walnuts in a bowl, and roll each haroset ball in the nuts so that each one has a light dusting of nuts.
Chill: Place the haroset balls in the refrigerator in a single layer to firm up, about 3 hours.
Store: Once firm, store in an airtight container. Put wax paper between layers. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. Leave refrigerated until about a half hour before serving.
Notes
Adapted from King Solomon’s Table by Joan Nathan. Recipe used with permission by publisher and author. Recipe halved with added direction of rolling charoset balls in chopped walnuts.
Store leftover haroset in the refrigerator in an airtight container for about 2-3 days.
Make the day of or the day before. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Take out about a half hour before serving so it can soften and come to room temperature.