Knafeh - Arab Cheese Pastry

👨‍🍳 Method

For the Sugar Syrup

1. 1
   Bring the sugar and water to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer 5 minutes, until the sugar melts and the syrup thickens slightly.

   ⚙ SimmeringStove

   💡A gentle simmer, not a boil: a hard boil dries the food out and clouds it, a slow simmer cooks it evenly.
2. 2
   Add the lemon juice and rose water.

   💡The lemon keeps the sugar from crystallizing again.
3. 3
   Cool completely.

   💡Cold syrup on a hot pastry soaks in evenly.

For the Pastry Filling

1. 4
   In a bowl, mix the akkawi cheese and ricotta.

   Bowl

To assemble

1. 5
   Mix the sugar into the cheese filling.
2. 6
   Break the kadaif strands into small pieces and mix with the melted butter and the turmeric.
3. 7
   Grease a round pan and spread half the kadaif in it.

   Round pan

   💡Press the bottom kadaif layer down firmly: it will be the top side after inverting.
4. 8
   Spread an even layer of the cheese filling on top.
5. 9
   Cover with the rest of the kadaif and press down well so the layers stick.
6. 10
   Bake in a 180°C (355°F) oven 30–35 minutes, until the knafeh browns.

   ⚙ BakingOvenRound pan

   💡Check by the cue (until…), not just the clock: every oven bakes a little differently.
7. 11
   As soon as it comes out of the oven, pour half the syrup over the knafeh and invert it onto a plate.
8. 12
   Pour the rest of the syrup over the hot knafeh and sprinkle the pistachios on top.

   💡Hot knafeh and cold syrup (or the other way around), never both hot: that way the syrup soaks in and the kadaif stays crisp.
9. 13
   Serve hot.