Pawtucket church shares Syrian cuisine, helps refugees
Marlene Samra, Lorice Hallal, Salwa Khoury and Janice Hallal make namora pastries, one of a number of Middle Eastern foods that will be sold at the annual Holiday Bazaar at St. Mary’s Antiochian Orthodox Church. The Providence Journal/Sandor Bodo
The women of St. Mary’s Antiochian Orthodox Church of Pawtucket host their Holiday Bazaar this weekend to share their Arabic cuisine and Middle Eastern foods such as grape leaves and meat pies.
It doesn’t simply celebrate their traditions. It serves their church community as a big fundraiser to cover operating expenses.
As I watched a crew of women roll out phyllo dough and brush simple syrup on pastries, I heard about how their community has been helping newly arrived Syrian families who fled the war-torn country. Though their church is Orthodox Christian, their help has been non-denominational. Four of the families are Muslim. All our family, the women say.
“We are helping refugees whether they are Muslim or Christian,” said Salwa Khoury, president of the church’s ladies society. “It’s very difficult for them.”
Charlotte Mitri, a chairwoman for the bazaar, said they’ve been supporting the families with donations of furniture, household items and money. They asked church members, about 200 families, to gather items the refugees would need. Some went out and bought new things to donate.
Their pastor, Father Elie Estephan, has been helping to translate for the families when they have doctor appointments or apply for jobs, said Khoury.
One young family has joined the church. When they found out their rent was more than they could pay, the church ladies society pledged to make up the difference for six months, said Khoury.
The church also holds a soup kitchen on the third Sunday of each month after services and prepares boxes of food, with sandwiches, juices and treats, for families to take. They are also currently collecting mittens.
Family members of current parishioners are trying to bring relatives in Syria here to the United States. The ladies talk about that, too.
The church is not only made up of Syrian-Americans but also those with roots in Lebanon, Palestine and Italy. In the early days of St. Mary’s Antiochian Orthodox Church, parishioners celebrated in their homes until they could put up a church building.
Today their sense of community can be found not just in their sanctuary but in the kitchen and in their good works, too.
Details: St. Mary’s annual Holiday Bazaar is at the St. Mary Parish Center, 1 Saint Marys Way, Pawtucket. Hours are Friday, Nov. 4 from 5 to 8 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 5 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sunday, Nov. 6 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be Middle Eastern cuisine and pastry, pictures with Santa, plus food, beer and wine for purchase. For more information, call (401) 726-1202 or visitstmarypawtucket.org.
CAHEK (BRAIDED COOKIES)
1 tablespoon mahlab (See note)
4 cups flour
¾ cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ cup sesame seeds
1 package yeast, dissolved in 1 cup warm water)
1 cup melted shortening (such as Crisco)
1 egg, beaten
Combine mahlab, flour, sugar, baking powder and sesame seeds. Form a well in the center of the mixture and add yeast, shortening and egg. Sprinkle a little warm water on the mixture and mix slowly with your hands until dough is formed. Do not knead. If mixture is dry, add a little warm water.
To form a braid, roll a rounded tablespoon of dough into a rope approximately the diameter of a pencil and 8 inches in length. Take two ropes and twist them around each other to form a braid. Braid the ropes loosely to allow the dough to expand while cooking. Pinch at bottom so that the braid holds its shape while baking.
Bake at 375 degrees on ungreased cookie sheet for about 20 minutes or until lightly browned.
Makes about six dozen cookies
Note: Mahlab is an Arabic spice made of crushed cherry pits. It is sold online at Amazon.com or at Middle Eastern markets, including Sonia’s Near East Market and Deli, 816 Park Ave., Cranston.
GRABA (SUGAR COOKIE)
1 cup extra-fine sugar
1 cup unsalted rendered butter, softened (see recipe)
2 cups all-purpose flour
Pistachios
Cream butter and sugar until mixed well. Pour flour in a little at a time and knead. Dough will be very soft to the touch when done.
Take a small ball of dough and roll out like a cigar and then turn into a circle to make a cookie shape. Use a soft touch when rolling dough because dough will fall apart if overworked. Place cookie on a baking sheet and put a pistachio half on the seam.
Bake at 300 to 325 degrees for about 10 minutes.
Makes about 2 dozen cookies.
RENDERED BUTTER
1-2 cups butte
Let it come to a low boil and then let it cook for 10 minutes on low. Strain through cheesecloth. The butter is then clarified. Store in a glass jar. It does not have to be refrigerated.