Kunefe

Sweet Crispy Cheese

“I tried this a long time ago and could not believe that there was mozzarella in a dessert, but we better believe it! Crunchy, shredded pastry with a stringy, oozy cheesy filling, all doused in a sweet syrup. It is mind-blowingly good.”- Nadiya Hussain

Serves 8

Ingredients

For the kunefe

  • 300g kataif pastry

  • 200g salted butter, melted and browned

  • 250g shredded mozzarella

For the syrup

  • 400g caster sugar

  • 400ml water

  • 4 tablespoons orange blossom water

  • 50g pistachios, roasted and chopped

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

  2. Start by putting the kataif pastry in a bowl. Break it up and take it apart, tearing the shredded pastry with your hands. Sprinkle over the melted browned butter and make sure the pastry is coated.

  3. Take a small 20cm round shallow cake tin and arrange half the pastry in the base in an even layer. Sprinkle in your shredded cheese right on top.

  4. Take the rest of the pastry and place on top of the cheese, covering it completely. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.

  5. Meanwhile, make the syrup by putting the sugar, water and orange blossom water in a pan and bringing to a boil. As soon as it has boiled, reduce and let the syrup simmer on a low heat for 10 minutes.

  6. Take the kunefe out of the oven. Sprinkle over the pistachios and while it’s still hot, drizzle the syrup all over. Leave to sit for a few minutes before cutting into eight pieces and serving.

Credit: Recipes from Rooza (Penguin Michael Joseph) by Nadiya Hussain, out 23rd January, available to pre-order and buy from Amazon. Rooza is Nadiya Hussain’s heartfelt culinary tribute to Ramadhan. This book invites you on a joyous and explorative journey through Muslim cuisine. It illuminates the rich rituals, traditions, and the incredible diversity of dishes from across the Islamic world.

Photo by Chris Terry

Aisling GilheanyComment