Knafeh Recipes

KNAFEH

Steps:

• Mix cheese, sugar, and orange blossom water together.
• Chop knafeh dough with a sharp knife. Mix with 1 3/4 cups hot butter over low fire for 15 minutes, or until dough absorbs all the butter.
• Mix 1/4 cup butter, knafeh coloring, and spread in a 17x12 inch pan. Sprinkle pine nuts evenly.
• Spread 2/3 of the dough in the pan over the nuts and press well. Spread the cheese mixture over dough evenly. Cover with the rest of the dough and press well.
• Bake at 400 degrees in a preheated oven for 30 minutes. (Place on lower rack).
• Add thin attar. Flip the tray over in another tray of the same size. Return to the oven and bake for 10 more minutes.
• Garnish with pistachios and serve hot!

KUNAFA RECIPE

Steps:

• In a saucepan over medium-high heat add sugar, water, honey and your flavors, stir to combine.
• Bring to a boil then add the lemon juice. Turn heat down to low and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
• Turn heat off and let it cool completely and come to room temperature. Note4
• In a saucepan whisk together cold milk and cornstarch until dissolved.
• Place on your stovetop on medium, keep stirring the mixture until it bubbles and thickens.
• Take off heat, let it cool completely, or pour the mixture in a bowl and cover directly with plastic wrap. Note4
• In a microwave-safe bowl or in a small saucepan melt ghee and let it cool so you can handle.
• Take one half of the thawed knafeh and pulse in your food processor. Make sure not to turn it into powder.
• Place shredded knafeh in a bowl and proceed with the other half.
• Pour 3/4 of the melted ghee over the knafeh and massage with your hands to spread the ghee evenly.
• Preheat your oven to 350F.
• Brush a 10" round pan with some of the melted ghee. Note5
• Place half the knafeh on the pan pressing hard with another plate or a measuring cup to spread evenly along the bottom and the sides.
• Pour the pudding mixture topping it with the grated cheese if using.
• Spread the filling evenly leaving about half an inch from the sides.
• Top with the remaining half of the knafeh, spread evenly pressing lightly with your fingertips.
• Pour the remaining ghee evenly on top.
• Bake in the middle rack for 30 minutes until sides turn brown then move it up to brown the top for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Pour cooled syrup over while hot and let it rest for 10 minutes.
• If you want invert on a serving platter and garnish with crushed pistachios.Note6

KANAFA

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Use a food processor to finely chop the frozen, shredded phyllo dough. The strands should be about the size of a grain of rice. Pour the dough into a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the ricotta, mozzarella, and 1/3 cup sugar.
• Place the butter in a large liquid measuring cup or bowl with a spout. Heat the butter in a microwave until completely melted, and let it sit for several minutes until a thick white foam has formed on top. Clarify the butter by using a spoon to skim off the foam.
• Carefully pour the butter into the bowl of phyllo dough. Avoid pouring in the white milk solids at the bottom of the clarified butter. Use your hands to mix the butter and dough together. Make sure that the butter is absorbed by taking handfuls of the dough and rubbing it between your palms.
• Evenly spread the buttered phyllo dough into a 9x13-inch pan and firmly press it into the bottom and edges. Spread the cheese mixture onto the dough, avoiding the edges of the pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese is slightly golden and the edges of dough are brown and bubbly, 30 to 35 minutes.
• While the kanafa is baking, prepare the syrup. Combine the water and 1/2 cup sugar in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the lemon juice. Simmer, stirring constantly, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is thickened, 5 to 7 minutes. (Do not let the mixture turn golden and caramelize.) Remove from heat and add the rose water; set aside.
• Remove the kanafa from the oven. Place a large platter or baking sheet over the baking dish. Using oven mitts, carefully invert the baking dish onto the platter so the phyllo is on top. Pour the syrup over the kanafa. Cut into pieces and serve while hot.

KUNEFE

Steps:

• For the syrup: Put the sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring it to a boil, lower the heat to medium low and simmer until it thickens a bit, 10 to 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the syrup cool to room temperature.
• For the kunefe: Cut the kadayif into small pieces and put it in a large bowl. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter, add it to the bowl and mix with a spoon to make sure all of the kadayif pieces are coated in butter.
• Coat the bottoms of two 5-inch kunefe pans completely with 1 tablespoon of the butter. Spoon out a quarter of the kadayif mixture into one of the pans, spread and press down using a spoon. Crumble 1 ounce of the sweet cheese onto the kadayif, leaving about a 1/2-inch border on all sides. Top with another quarter of the kadayif mixture and press with your hands.
• Place the pan over medium-low heat and cook until golden on the bottom (there will be an aroma of toasted nuts), 4 to 6 minutes. Place the other prepared pan over the kunefe and flip (be careful, the pan is hot). Place it back on the heat and cook uncovered until the underside is golden, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from the heat, drizzle 1/4 cup of the syrup all over the kunefe and top with 1 tablespoon of the ground pistachios. Re-butter the pans and repeat with the remaining kadayif, cheese, syrup and pistachios. Serve immediately with extra syrup for drizzling.