While Purim is technically a "minor" festival on the Jewish calendar, it is a major time of fun and celebration. In fact, the rabbis of old taught that even when the Messiah comes and other holidays are abandoned, Jewish people will continue to observe Purim.

Melissa Moskowitz, editor of The Jews for Jesus Family Cookbook, says this holiday would not be complete without hamantaschen, three-cornered cookies shaped to resemble Haman's (boo) hat. We have duly printed her recipe, so that those of you who don't live near a Jewish bakery can taste these treats.

Hamantaschen

Dough:
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup liquid from prunes (see prune filling to right)
4 3/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

In large bowl, mix together oil, sugar, eggs and liquid from the prunes until well blended. Sift together dry ingredients and add to this mixture. Blend dough together well and refrigerate covered for at least 1 hour. Remove dough from refrigerator. Divide dough into three parts. Roll each piece out to 1Ž4 inch thick slabs on well floured board. Cut out 3 inch rounds. Put 1Ž2 tablespoon filling on each round. Fold three sides up to the center and pinch edges together to shape a three-cornered hat, leaving the center uncovered to show the filling. Bake on a greased baking sheet, slightly apart, at 375 degrees for about 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Prune filling:

12 ounces pitted prunes
2 lemons, sliced
boiling water to cover prunes
1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1 apple, peeled and finely chopped
1/4 cup honey (or 1Ž2 cup sugar)
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Cover prunes and lemon with boiling water. Let stand 1Ž2 hour or bring to a boil and simmer 10 minutes. Drain juice and reserve. Put all filling ingredients in food processor and process until well-mixed.

Poppyseed filling:

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup poppyseeds
1/4 cup fine bread crumbs
2-3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind

Bring the water and sugar to a boil in a heavy saucepan. Lower the heat, add the poppyseeds and cook, stirring until the mixture thickens. Stir in the remaining ingredients and remove from heat.

ed. note: It's nice to have a variety of fillings for your hamantaschen. The three most common fillings for hamantaschen are prune, poppyseed and apricot. While I don't have a recipe for apricot filling (my favorite), a good quality apricot jam should work just fine.