3/4 c Butter; softened
1/2 c Tahini
1 pn Salt
1 1/4 c Brown sugar
2 c Unbleached pastry flour
1/2 c Toasted pecans or walnuts
— chopped or ground
A few pecan or walnut halves
Preheat the oven to 375 F. With a food processor or by hand, cream the
butter with the tahini. Add the salt and brown sugar. Blend until
smooth. Sprinkle in the flour, blending well. Mix in the chopped
nuts. The dough will be very stiff. Lightly butter two 7-inch pie
plates or shallow baking pans. Press the dough to evenly cover the
bottom and sides of the pie plates to a thickness of no more than
1/4-inch. Press a few whole nuts into the surface to decorate. Bake
the shortbread for 15 mniutes and then check it frequently, every
couple of minutes, and remove it from the oven as soon as the edges
are golden brown. Be careful not to overbake it. While it’s still
warm, cut each shortbread into 8 or 10 wedges in the pan; don’t wait
until it’s cool or it will crumble.
Yields
16 Servings