Oznei Hamman or Hamman ears are the typical pastry for Purim, a joyous Jewish festival commemorating the survival of the Jews who were marked for death by their Persian rulers, in the 5th century BCE. The story is related in the biblical Book of Esther. Purim is celebrated in Israel and around the world by adult and children wearing costumes, exchanging gifts of food, drink and other goodies called “mishloach manot”, eating a celebratory meal, public recitation (“reading of the megillah”) of the Scroll of Esther usually in the synagogue.
My mother used to make the best Oznei Hamman with her famous cookie dough filled with homemade prune preserves and dusted with powdered sugar! Just thinking about them makes me feel warm and happy!
Regina would make about a hundred or more and distribute them among the family and friends.
Other fillings for these cookies are apricot jam, chocolate or poppy seeds. Which one is your favorite?
