Knafeh
Deliciously gooey Knafeh with a golden crust, perfect for dessert lovers seeking a taste of Middle Eastern hospitality.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 10 ounces kataifi pastry or 1.5 cups fine semolina
- 6 tablespoons clarified butter or ghee, melted
- 12 ounces low-moisture white cheese (like Nabulsi or Akkawi), or a blend of low-moisture mozzarella with ricotta
- 1 cup chopped pistachios
- Pinch of salt
- 1 cup sugar (for syrup)
- 3/4 cup water (for syrup)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (for syrup)
- 1 teaspoon orange blossom water or rose water, to taste (for syrup)
Instructions
- Make the syrup first by combining sugar and water in a small pot. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until slightly thick. Add lemon juice and cook for 1 minute more. Stir in orange blossom water and let it cool until just warm.
- If using salted cheese, slice and soak it in cold water for 30 minutes, changing the water once. Drain and pat dry.
- For the crust, pull apart kataifi strands or mix fine semolina with melted butter until it resembles damp sand.
- Butter a 10-inch pan. Press most of the kataifi or semolina into the pan to form the base, keeping a small handful for the top layer.
- Spread the cheese evenly over the base and sprinkle with a tiny pinch of salt. Add the remaining crust over the cheese.
- Bake at 375°F for about 20 to 25 minutes until golden and bubbling at the edges.
- While still hot, pour half the syrup around the edges and across the top. Add more syrup to taste. Let it rest for 5 minutes, then slice and top with pistachios.
Notes
Use cool syrup on hot pastry for best texture. Keep butter gentle and add more if crust looks dry.
Find it online: https://comfortkitchenrecipes.com/mastering-knafeh/