Menena: An Egyptian Jewish Pastry

Claudia Roden

1996

Menena–Maamoul

Stuffed Tartlets

“Menena” is the Jewish name for the Arab “maamoul,” and it is a little different from the Arab version—at least that is what I learned when I went back to Egypt and Muslim friends said they missed ours. Every Jewish family kept a boxful, and continued to do so for decades after they left. My mother always had a supply…

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In this recipe for menena—a Jewish variation on the Arab maamoul—Claudia Roden recreates a beloved pastry from her Egyptian childhood. Offering versions with walnuts, pistachios, or dates, Roden’s recipe evokes a cosmopolitan Egypt where Jews and Muslims lived side by side, sharing languages, flavors, and traditions. Before political upheavals reshaped the nation, Egypt was home to a vibrant blend of cultures—captured here in one sweet, nostalgic bite of menena.

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Creator Bio

Claudia Roden

b. 1936

Cairo-born Claudia Roden, who lives in London, is a cookbook author and food writer. She has also created cooking shows for the BBC. Roden’s books explore cuisines of the Middle East and the Mediterranean regions, providing recipes, historical background, and anecdotes. She has earned the Glenfiddich Trophy, the James Beard Award, and the Jewish Quarterly/Wingate Book Prize for Non-Fiction.