European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 22, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Muslim holy monthly Charles Perry the los Angeles times a Arch 17. Began the first Day of Ramadan the Muslim month of fasting. During the. Daylight hours muslims Are commanded to abstain from All that is taken by Mouth including food water and tobacco. A Aall muslims except Young children invalids travellers and women who Are pregnant nursing or menstruating. Are required to observe the fast. They Are exempted during Ramadan but except for the children must fast the same number of Days later when Able. If they cannot Complete the fast within the year they May discharge their duty by feeding the poor recipes for Ramadan by Rose Dosti los Angeles times i n her. Dining room Hananel Farra and her friends in los Angeles were preparing a table typical of Ramadan.,.the Muslim month of religious fasting. Within minutes the table would be Complete with Tood for future the dinner that Breaks the daytime fast. It is traditionally a Light meal. A people Are not expected to overindulge Quot Elfarra  in a measured Way is a a form of self discipline and awareness of the need of others less . A the tradition of getting together with family and friends is also what Ramadan is All about explained Lina aryan v. Al. Farra s married daughter. Quot i myself invite at least 25 family friends and relatives each night of Ramadan Quot Elfarra said. Quot it is better to eat with Many people than. . V a Quot a muslims and christians alike Are often found. Celebrating the feasts during Ramadan. Quot in the Arab world Quot said Suad Cano an iraqi Christian participating at the table Quot Ramadan like Christmas in the Western world is celebrated by everyone regardless of their  Elfarra ladled some lentil soup into Small  Garbanzo bean dip Hummus was on the table As were meat and cheese turnovers known As Fata Yir. They resemble Borek the turkish pastry wrapped in Filo dough but instead of the delicate Filo covering a bread Type dough is used. Quot we fast because we Are ordered to  said Hasan hat hut of the los Angeles islamic Center. Quot we say a we hear and obey a it is an excellent exercise in . As  oth a religious duties of islam proper intention nya is considered essential and mosques Are. Particularly Well attended during Ramadan. After Sunset the fast is broken with a Light meal called future and eating is permitted from then until just before Dawn.  Mohammed always broke his fast by taking a dried Date or two with water but there Are no. Hard and fast regulations on what is lawful to eat. The foods traditionally eaten vary from country to country and even from year to year since the Muslim Calendar is based on the phases of the Moon and Ramadan can fall during any season. The night hours Are not Given Over entirely to eating. In Quot no one makes  anymore Quot said Husmer Anabtawi who baked the turnovers. Quot we women now use the dough in the package from the. Supermarket. Its easier and just As . Indeed All you have to do these Days is wrap the filling in refrigerator biscuit dough. Turnovers take Little time to assemble and bake in minutes. For a cheese filling a Salty cheese like the greek feta is preferred but cottage cheese pot cheese or mexican or French fresh cheeses May also be used. A seasoning of chopped Parsley mint. Or Dill can be added for extra flavor. A muslims throughout the world celebrate nightly feasts during Ramadan with a mind boggling array of desserts that May seem excessively Sweet to the Western a  one such delicacy is Kuna a a sort of baked pastry a resembling shredded wheat that is filled with cheese and soaked in sugar syrup. During the Middle Ages the arabs took Kuna a with them As far As Spain. In the Balkans the shredded wheat dough is called Kat if Katai i in greek and it can be. Found at any greek turkish or Middle Eastern store. The dough is loosened by being pulled apart then spread on the baking pan in even layers with the filling Between them. A. A. Once baked it is cooled then  is poured Over it no one has Ever explained Why pouring hot syrup Over cold desserts helps maintain the crispness of the pastry an unacceptable soggy crust results from pouring cold addition to the regular Sunset and evening prayers or. Muslims perform a special Ramadan prayer called to Nevih and much of the night May be spent in religious r discussion and recitations from the Koran Many muslims make a Point of reciting the entire Koran during the. Course of the month. ,. In Muslim countries the time of breaking the fast is usually announced by a Public signal such As the firing of a Cannon How do american muslims determine when to. Break the fast a a. Quot i Check my watch Quot said Shabbir Mansuri of the islamic Institute. The islamic Center publishes a Calendar for the entire year giving the Correct hours for prayer the time of breaking the fast coincides with the daily prayer called maghreb. Mansur said a lot of muslims simply follow the time of Sunset As Given in newspapers. Syrup Over cold pastry. Pine nuts or almonds sprinkled. Over the dessert Are optional. Here Are a few recipes from the Elfarra ramada table. A a. V Quot. A a a a a a a a a. A. A. Cd. Kuna a 1 Pound Kuna a dough Katai i or shredded Filo Doug thawed v2 Pound unsalted butter or Margarine melted 1 15-ounce package Ricotta cheese a Teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 Tablespoon sugar a cup Pine nuts lightly toasted optional sugar syrup separate thawed dough into shreds in Saucepan. Pour melted butter Over dough and mix Well with hands. Lightly press a a of dough in 13-by-9-Inch baking  Ricotta cheese cinnamon and sugar. Spread Over dough. Top with remaining dough. Bake at 350 f 35 to 40 minutes or until top is lightly. Browned. Remove from oven and pour hot sugar syrup Over Kuna a. Sprinkle Pine nuts Over top. Let stand few minutes until syrup is absorbed. Cut in squares and serve warm. Makes 12 Servings. Sugar syrup 3 cups sugar 11/a cups water 1 Tablespoon Lemon juice Combine sugar water and Lemon juice in Saucepan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Cool. Fata Yir i Banakh spinach turnovers 1 10-ounce packages Frozen spinach thawed 1 onion finely chopped dash ground sumac optional 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil i Tablespoon Lemon juice Salt Pepper. I Tablespoon Chili powder or hot Pepper sauce 4 10-biscuit count packages refrigerated biscuits mix spinach onion sumac Olive Oil and Lemon juice in bowl. Season to taste with Salt and Pepper and Chile powder. Mix Well. A. A Pat each biscuit Flat and place 1 Tablespoon spinach mixture in each biscuit Patty. Fold moisten and Pinch  Seal. Place on baking sheets and bake at 350 f until browned about 10 minutes makes 40. Note sumac is a sour spice available in turkish and Middle Eastern grocery stores. A. Fata Yir Jun cheese turnovers 1 Pound feta cheese to cup chopped Parsley i egg Salt Pepper 4 10-biscuit count packages refrigerated biscuits mix feta cheese Parsley egg and Salt and Pepper to taste in bowl. Mix Welt Pat each biscuit Flat and placed Tablespoon cheese mixture in each biscuit Patty. Fold. Dough moisten and Pinch edges to Seal place on baking sheets and bake at 350 f until browned about 10 minutes makes 40 a workers in saudi Arabia wait for a Cannon to fire signalling the end of the Dawn to dusk fasting during the holy month. Then they will enjoy a Ramadan sidewalk meal. March 22, 1991 the stars and stripes Page 15