Almoixàvena Recipe, the Arab Sweet of Xátiva

The Muslim influence in Spain is evident in many monuments, but also in the cuisine. Almoixàvena is a sweet of Arab origin typical of the Valencian Community, especially the area of Xátiva and the region of La Costera. This dessert is also called almoxàvena, monxàvena or monjavina. It was traditionally prepared on Thursdays during Lent or Carnival, but now it is baked every Thursday in any bakery due to the great popularity it has acquired.

The recipe is very simple and the ingredients are nothing extraordinary: flour, oil, eggs, sugar and cinnamon. It is a different recipe, with many years of tradition, and it is totally worth it; as it is very simple and the result is a sweet with a shape like the one you see in the picture. Do you dare to prepare it?

Ingredients for the Almoixàvena Recipe:

• 180 ml of water
• 160 g of flour
• 90 ml sunflower oil
• 5 eggs
• 50 g sugar
• 1 or 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
• A pinch of salt
• Lard (optional)

How to Make It:

1. Pour the water into a saucepan over medium heat with the oil and bring it to a boil.
2. When it starts to boil, pour in all the flour at once and a pinch of salt, stirring quickly as you remove the pan from the heat. Stir until the dough is not sticky and comes off the pan. Leave it to cool slightly.
3. When the dough is warm, add the eggs one at a time, stirring, until they are well integrated. Add the next egg when the previous one has been well mixed. The result will be a smooth, shiny dough.
4. Spread the dough on a baking tray covered with parchment. Use a spatula to make it as thin and even as possible. If you want to add lard, put it in small pieces on top.
5. Mix the sugar with the cinnamon in a glass or bowl and sprinkle the mixture all over the dough.
6. Put the dough of your almoixàvena in the oven preheated to 200°C with heat up and down, leaving it for about 20 or 25 minutes until the surface is well browned. You will see the characteristic lumps of this sweet appear. Once you get it out, you can pour chocolate over it to make it even sweeter.