Samali (Semolina cake)

Ingredients

• 1 cup Semolina fine
• 1 cup Semolina coarse
• 2 cups Greek Yogurt strained
• 1 cup Sugar
• 6 tbsp Unsalted margarine room temperature
• 2 Eggs
• 1 tbsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 medium Lemon Juice freshly squeezed
• 1/2 tsp Mastic crushed
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 60 whole Almonds , blanched
• To make the syrup:
• 4 cups Sugar
• 4 cups Water
• 1 Lemon Peel
• Greek Olive Oil for brushing
• Flour for dusting
• medium sized deep baking pan

Directions

Put in the mixer's bowl the eggs, margarine, yogurt, lemon juice, coarse and fine semolina, sugar, baking powder, soda, mastic and beat, until a smooth batter has formed.

Brush medium sized baking pan with olive oil. Dust it with flour and shake to remove any excess. Pour in the above mixture and set aside for 1 hour, in order to form a crust.

Preheat the oven at 320 degrees F.

Score the surface into pieces and top each one with 4 almonds.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 40-45 minutes.

In the meantime, we prepare the syrup: In a medium large saucepan, combine all the ingredients for the syrup and boil for about 10 minutes. Then remove the lemon peel.

Remove the baking pan from the oven, cut into the scored pieces, pour the hot syrup over cake and let it absorb.

When the syrup has absorbed and the "samali" has cooled, remove precut pieces and serve.