Tufahije

After a nearly month-long trip through Western Europe, the Balkans, and a final stop in Hungary, I've returned to America.  First order of business: a Bosnian dessert, prepared in my Virginia kitchen.

Tufahije is a classic Bosnian treat.  It's a roasted apple stuffed with a sweet walnut and hazelnut filling, often served chilled.  On a very hot July day in Sarajevo, I tried this for the first time at Ramis slastičarna, or sweet shop, on Ferhadija.  In the summer heat, the cooled apple and deliciously sweet filling were a refreshing delight.  In Bosnia, the stuffed apple traditionally is topped with whipped cream and a brandied cherry, but because I love the filling so much, I topped mine with an additional scoop.  So here you have it: Tufahije, American style.

No song really seems apt for such a sweet dish and for my first homage to Sarajevo.  But for a city that's at once so sad, beautiful, and alive, here's Bryan Ferry's cover of Bob Dylan's 1965 "Positively 4th Street", with its addictive, enticing, and heartbreaking lyrics.

Ingredients:
--4 Golden Delicious apples
--4 c. sugar
--1 lemon
--1/2 c. chopped walnuts
--1/2 c. chopped hazelnuts
--1 c. plain Greek yogurt
--1 tbsp. cinnamon
--1 tbsp. honey (thanks to my lovely hosts at Guest House Halvat, I brought home Bosnian honey!) 

Core and peel the Golden Delicious apples.

In a medium-sized bowl, blend the zest of one lemon, Greek yogurt, cinnamon, honey, walnuts, and hazelnuts.  This should form a creamy paste.  Set aside until ready to use.

In a large pot, place peeled and cored apples.  Add enough water just to cover the apples, and then add the sugar and the juice from the zested lemon to the water.  Bring to a low boil, and cover the pot so that the apple stay submerged.  Boil for approximately 15-20 minutes, or until the apples are soft but still firm enough to grip.  Remove pot from heat and allow apples and syrup to cool.

Once the apples have cooled, place them in small serving dishes large enough to hold the apple and extra syrup.  Next, fill the center hole in the apple (former site of the core) with the yogurt and nut cream.  Drizzle remaining sugar and lemon syrup from the pot over the apple to taste (I poured approximately 3 tbsp. over the apple).  

 
Chill the apples and the remaining cream until ready to serve. Top with  large scoop of the remaining cream and enjoy!