Pasteli: Greek Honey Sesame Bars
Pasteli is a traditional Greek sweet made from toasted sesame seeds bound together with warm honey—crispy, nutty, and utterly addictive. Ready in under 30 minutes with no baking required.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Servings
- 12
- Calories
- 285
- Protein
- 8g
Ingredients
- 2 cups sesame seeds, raw or untoasted
- 1 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds or chopped pistachios for topping (optional)
- 1 sheet parchment paper for lining
Instructions
- 1
Place a 10-inch skillet over medium heat with no oil. Wait 1 minute until the bottom of the pan feels warm when you hold your hand 2 inches above it.
- 2
Pour 2 cups of sesame seeds into the hot skillet and stir constantly with a wooden spoon for 4–5 minutes until the seeds smell deeply fragrant and look slightly darker, like toasted almonds.
- 3
Transfer the toasted sesame seeds to a large bowl and set aside to cool for 2 minutes.
- 4
Line a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan or 8-by-8-inch baking dish with parchment paper, leaving 1 inch of paper hanging over each long side like handles.
- 5
Pour 1 cup of honey into a small saucepan over low heat and warm it for 1 minute until it flows easily when you tilt the pan, but do not let it bubble.
- 6
Stir 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 0.25 teaspoon of salt, and 0.5 teaspoon of vanilla extract into the warm honey using a wooden spoon until uniform.
- 7
Pour the honey mixture over the cooled sesame seeds and stir vigorously for 1–2 minutes until every seed is coated and the mixture looks golden and holds together when you squeeze a handful.
- 8
Scrape the sesame mixture into the lined pan, pressing it down firmly and evenly with the back of a wooden spoon so there are no air pockets.
- 9
Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds or chopped pistachios over the top if desired, pressing them lightly so they stick to the surface.
- 10
Let the pasteli cool at room temperature for 15 minutes until it feels firm when you press your fingertip on top, then lift out using the parchment paper handles.
- 11
Using a sharp knife dipped in warm water and wiped dry between cuts, slice the pasteli into 12 bars, each about 1 inch wide. Rinse and dry the knife before each cut to keep edges clean.
- 12
Serve the pasteli bars at room temperature. They will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Tools you’ll need
- 10-inch skillet
- wooden spoon
- small saucepan
- 9-by-5-inch loaf pan or 8-by-8-inch baking dish
- parchment paper
- sharp knife
- large mixing bowl
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