Date-filled pastries from North Africa

Put the sugar in a pan with the lemon juice and 250 ml water. Bring to the boil and simmer over a low heat for around 10 minutes until thick and syrupy. Remove from the heat.

In a bowl, mix together the semolina and flour. Melt the butter and add to the dry ingredients, together with the oil. Mix together until you have a homogeneous mixture. Add a little more oil if necessary. Stir in boiling water, a tablespoonful at a time, until you have a smooth dough.

Shape the dough into strands 3-4 cm thick and make a depression along the centre. Spoon the date paste into the depression and wrap the dough around it so that it encloses the paste. Flatten slightly and score in a diamond pattern.

Cut into approx. 4 cm lengths and fry in the hot oil until crispy. Drain briefly on kitchen paper and transfer to the sugar syrup.