Hamantash

A hamantash (also spelled hamentasch, homentash, homentasch, (h)umentash, pluralized with -en or -n {sometimes singular is spelled this way also}; Yiddish המן־טאַש) is a pastry]] in Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine recognizable for its three-cornered shape. The shape is achieved by folding in the sides of a circular piece of dough, with a filling placed in the center. It is traditionally eaten during the Jewish holiday of Purim. Hamantaschen are made with many different fillings, including prunes, nut, poppy seed, date, apricot, apple, fruit preserves, cherry, chocolate, dulce de leche, halva or even caramel or cheese.Epi Log: The latest in Food News, the Culinary Arts & Cooking Their formation varies from hard pastry to soft doughy casings.
The name hamantash (המן־טאַש), is commonly known as a reference to Haman, the villain of Purim, as described in the Book of Esther. A more likely source of the name is a corruption of the Yiddish word מאן־טאשן (montashn) or the German word mohntaschen, both meaning poppyseed-filled pouches.MyJewishLearning.com - Holidays: Purim Foods Over time, this name was transformed to Hamantaschen, likely by association with Haman. In Israel, they are called Oznei Haman (אוזניהמן), Hebrew for "Haman's ears" and children are jokingly told these tasty pastries are the ears of Haman.
Some Hebrew schools teach that Hamantaschen are made in the shape of Haman's hat. There is a popular song (often sung to the tune of "Carnival of Venice") reflecting this idea, which is the translation for the song Mein Hut der hat drei Ecken:
:My hat that has three corners.
:Three corners has my hat.
:And had it not three corners,
:It wouldn't be my hat.
:Hebrew:
:לכובע שלי שלוש פינות
:שלוש פינות לכובע שלי
:לולא היו לו שלוש פינות
:לא היה זה הכובע שלי
==Plural==
The word "hamantash" is singular; "hamantashen" is plural and is the word form more commonly used. However, many people refer to these cookies as hamantashen even in the singular (for example, "I ate an apricot hamantashen").
==References==
Category:Jewish cuisine
Category:Yiddish words and phrases