Description
A delightful Middle Eastern dessert made with shredded phyllo dough, creamy cheese, and drenched in sweet syrup.
Ingredients
- ½ box shredded phyllo dough, thawed
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup ricotta cheese
- Crushed pistachios (optional for garnishing)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice OR a thin slice of a whole lemon
- 1 teaspoon rose water (if available)
- 3 cups whole milk
- 3 tablespoons cream of wheat or fine semolina flour
- 3 tablespoons sugar
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine sugar and water over medium-high heat. Stir well to dissolve the sugar.
- Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Add lemon juice and let it simmer for another 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat, add rose water, and stir. Set aside to cool.
- Finely shred the phyllo dough using a food processor.
- Mix the shredded phyllo with melted butter until coated.
- In a small pan, combine whole milk, cream of wheat, and sugar. Whisk constantly over medium heat until thickened, about 10 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 370°F. Coat a 9-inch springform pan with baking spray. Layer phyllo dough and mozzarella cheese.
- Spread the cream mixture over the cheese, then sprinkle with more phyllo dough.
- Bake for about 40 minutes until golden and crisp.
- Let cool, then flip onto a serving plate. Pour half of the cooled syrup over the Knafeh and garnish with crushed pistachios.
- Serve warm with remaining syrup on the side.
Notes
For extra flavor, consider adding cardamom or orange blossom water to the syrup.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern