Jachnun

Jachnun, occasionally spelled Jahnun, is a delightful pastry originating from the Adeni Jews of Yemen, traditionally enjoyed on Shabbat morning. Thanks to Yemenite Jewish immigrants, this delectable treat has also gained popularity in Israel.

Crafting Jachnun is a labor of love. The dough is rolled out thin, brushed with shortening—traditionally clarified butter or samneh—then rolled up much like puff pastry. It is then placed in a slow oven overnight. The result? A beautifully dark amber pastry with a subtly sweet flavor.

Jachnun is typically served with a few delicious accompaniments: tomato salsa, a grated tomato and coriander dip, hard-boiled eggs, and zhug, a spicy hot sauce. For those with a sweet tooth, spreading a bit of strawberry jam on Jachnun before rolling it back up and serving it like a jam roly-poly offers a delightful twist.

Interestingly, the dough used for Jachnun is the same as that for malawach, another Yemenite pastry. Both Jachnun and malawach are believed to have evolved from Sephardic Jewish puff pastry recipes brought to Yemen by Jews expelled from Spain, according to culinary historian Gil Marks.