warabat

Sometimes the translation of Arabic words to English doesn’t work out so well. Take the popular dessert called Warbat, pronounced warr-bot. Most people might envision a warrior bat, angry and ready to fight. In reality, warbat refers to a buttery, flaky and rich turnover filled with a mildly sweet custard. This pastry is then drizzled in fragrant lemon and rose syrup then sprinkled with pistachios. While this pastry is popular in Jordan, Lebanon, and Palestine, there are many variations sold throughout the middle east. Some contain walnuts, others pistachios, some contain a semolina-based custard, and still, others have a pure dairy custard.