Cream Cheese Balls (Jewish)

This recipe, from The Essential Book of Jewish Festival Cooking, eventually surfaced in the Food Section of the 27 May 2009 issue of the Los Angeles Times.

• Ready In: 25 mins
• Serves: 15
• Yields: 15 cheese balls

Ingredients

• 2  tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1  teaspoon whole coriander seed
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cumin seed
• 1⁄2 teaspoon nigella seeds (or black sesame seeds)
• 1  cup cream cheese, chilled
• 1⁄8 teaspoon sea salt
• 2  tablespoons pistachio nuts, toasted, finely chopped

Directions

1. In a dry frying pan over medium heat, toast together the sesame, coriander, cumin & nigella seeds 3 to 4 minutes or until fragrant, stirring or shaking the pan often.
2. Grind the seeds with a mortar & pestle or process BRIEFLY in a coffee grinder (but not so long that the sesame seeds release a lot of oil).
3. Oil your hands to prevent the cheese from sticking, then roll the cheese into 1-inch balls & chill uncovered on a greased baking sheet.
4. In a small bowl, mix the sesame seasoning with the salt & chopped pistachio nuts, then roll the cheese balls in the mixture until well covered.
5. Serve immediately, or cover & chill on a wax-paper-lined baking sheet until ready to serve.