Mutabak from the original Zalatimo’s in Jerusalem
My favorite all time dessert is mutabak. It is a delicious pastry filled with either sweet cheese or walnuts. It is so light and tasty, and if cooked properly will have a bit of a crunch. My preference is nuts!
When visiting al-Quds, Jerusalem, I knew that I had to take my kids to Zalatimo. I had taken my husband 13 years ago, and he remembered what a treat it was to to eat mutabak in the old city. The tiny shop of the orginial Zalatimo is literally a hole in the wall. If you don’t know where it is, good luck finding it. Even the people who work in the old city did not know if it was still open or not. Luckily for my family, I knew exactly where to find it!
Zalatimo is a hole in the wall. There is a counter, 4 tables, small refrigerator, open oven, a rolling shelf unit. Check out the rounded ceilings.
Mohammad Zalatimo opened his small pastry shop in the old city of Jerusalem in 1860. Because the store was so small, it was only offered as a take away and only in the morning. Due to the demand of his mutabak and other pastry items, Mohammad Zalatimo rented the space next door. His customers were growing, and visiting the shop that was in the ancient walls surrounding the Roman built church of the Holy Sepulcher.
Learning the trade of making the world famous pastries has been passed down through the generations. When I visited Zalatimo 13 years ago, it was this man’s father that had made my mutabak. Now his son is making it. And this man’s son will learn in a few years. It is truly an art. They must first make the dough. He started with rolling it out.
Next he started to throw the dough up in the air. Looked like pizza dough being thrown. The dough was getting thinner and thinner, which is the secret the delicious pastry dough.
When the dough is at the right consistency, cheese or nuts is added onto the dough. We ordered 2 with cheese and 2 with nuts. The dough is folded up like a present and placed on the metal pans that are also used as plates. Next, they are placed in the wood fired oven. And we wait.
It was totally worth the wait. My son, Adam, could not wait to dig in. We ate it with our hands. Our fingers were all sticky from the light syrup that was added. Finger lickin’ good. Sahtain!
What’s your favorite dessert?
xoxo,
Tina
Hi Tina – thanks for this great article! I live in Jerusalem and have gone looking for Zalatimo’s several times without any luck. Do you have any advice on how to find it?
Thanks!
Hi Lindsay! Zalatimo’s is a hole in the wall. If you go in to the old city through Jaffa Gate, you would hang right when it forks. You walk through the old city and as you get closer to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre there will be on the right side an alleyway to lead you to the church. Before you walk into the alley you will see Zalatimo’s. It is basically within the ancient Roman walls surrounding the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. You just go in and tell him what you want. There are no waiters, no menus, nothing at all. Best little secret in Jerusalem. Just know that if you ask for directions, some will say that they think he closed down his shop. So not true. It is easy to get lost! So be careful. And let me know if you make it there!
Hi,
Planning on visiting here in a few weeks time. Can you provide an address, or directions to find this place. Saw it on TV (Ottolenghi) and really want to try the Mutabak.
Jon
Jon, there is a Zalatimo on the way to Ramallah and it is a free standing shop that everyone knows.
If you want to go to the one in the old city of Jerusalem, here is how to get there. I do not know of any address. It is in the Muslim quarter.
Zalatimo’s is a hole in the wall. If you go in to the old city through Jaffa Gate, you would hang right when it forks. You walk through the old city and as you get closer to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre there will be on the right side an alley way to lead you to the church. Before you walk into the alley you will see Zalatimo’s. It is basically within the ancient Roman walls surrounding the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. You just go in and tell him what you want. There are no waiters, no menus, nothing at all. Best little secret in Jerusalem. Just know that if you ask for directions, some will say that they think he closed down his shop. So not true. It is easy to get lost! So be careful. And let me know if you make it there!