(Ghotab)

　　After trying several kinds, we concluded that Iranian and Turkish pistachios* have the best flavor.

　　Active time: 1 1/4 hr Start to finish: 4 hr

　　

Ingredients

Makes about 30 pastries

　　

For pastry

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

　　1 teaspoon baking powder

　　1/3 cup plain yogurt

　　1/3 cup vegetable oil

　　2 large egg yolks

　　

For filling

1 1/2 cups shelled natural pistachios (7 1/2 oz)

　　3/4 cup confectioners sugar

　　1 teaspoon ground cardamom

　　1/4 cup water

　　2 tablespoons sugar

　　

For coating

1 cup confectioners sugar

　　*Available by mail order from Kalustyan's (212-685-3451).

　　

Make pastry:

Step 1

Stir together flour and baking powder. Stir together yogurt, oil, and yolks in another bowl, then gradually add flour, stirring until a soft dough forms. Put dough in a sealed plastic bag and let stand at room temperature 2 hours.

　　

Make filling:

Step 2

Pulse pistachios, confectioners sugar, and cardamom in a food processor until finely ground (be careful not to overprocess into a paste). Bring water and sugar to a boil in a very small saucepan, stirring, then add syrup to pistachios and pulse to combine.

　　

Assemble and bake cookies:

Step 3

Preheat oven to 350°F.

　　

Step 4

Divide dough in half. Keeping one half wrapped in plastic wrap, roll out other half on a well-floured surface into a 15-inch round (about 1/16 inch thick). Cut out as many rounds as possible with a 2 3/4-inch cutter and add scraps to wrapped dough for rerolling. Mound 1 teaspoon filling in center of each round, then moisten edge of round with water and fold over to form a half-moon. Pinch edges together, then crimp with a fork to seal.

　　

Step 5

Repeat with remaining dough and filling, rerolling scraps.

　　

Step 6

Bake crescents 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets in batches in middle of oven until golden, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer parchment with crescents to a rack and when cookies are just cool enough to handle, toss, a few at a time, in confectioners sugar to coat, knocking off excess. Cool crescents completely on rack.