This week I made a Middle Eastern dessert known as knafeh which is made from spun pastry known as kataifi, then layered with “sweet cheese” and topped with pistachios or other nuts after being soaked in a sweet syrup made of sugar known as qattar.
Next, I got a chunk of kataifi and rolled the cheese into it.
Then placed it into the oven.
To make the syrup, or qattar, I boiled water, sugar, and a little squirt of lemon.
All done! I was really excited to taste and see how I did so I completely forgot to add some pistachios on top, but that’s not a big deal because these were AMAZING! I love the crunchy texture, and the cheese inside. I definitely want to make these again, but instead of rolls, I want to make it in a circular shape with extra cheese.
Like this!
I did a great job with making these, they looked like they could be store-bought! This has been one of my favourite desserts ever since I was little and I’m so happy that I have tried to make it myself. I will definitely be making it again!
Yours are so cool looking. I am really curious about what they taste like!
Thank you! The outer layer has lots of texture, it’s really crunchy. The inside of Knafeh is most often filled with cheese or cream, it’s mostly served when it’s warm so that the cheese is nice and stretchy, and so that it stays cripsy. Knafeh is also super sweet because it’s most often soaked with a sugar syrup. But I personally don’t like it too sweet so I just add a little bit of sugar syrup. It’s for sure one of my favourite desserts!