Hungarian Strawberry Pastries

by Rick Tytko

Ingredients:

• 1/4 pound butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 egg yolks
• 1-1/2 cups flour
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• strawberry or other preserves
• 1 cup chopped nuts
• 2 egg whites
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• Confectioners’ sugar

Directions:

1. Cream butter and sugar. Add vanilla and egg yolks; cream well. Sift together flour, salt, soda, and baking powder. Add to creamed mixture. Knead lightly.
2. Pat out in bottom of greased 8-inch square pan. Spread generously with jam. Sprinkle with half the nuts.
3. Beat together egg whites and sugar until stiff. Spread over nuts. Top with remaining nuts.
4. Bake at 350° 25-30 minutes. Cool, cut into squares; sprinkle with Confectioners’ sugar.