Knafeh

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 1

   If the akkawi is salty, soak it in cold water for 20 minutes, changing the water once, then drain very well and pat dry. Preheat the oven to 220°C. Lightly butter a 18-20 cm round metal pan or ovenproof skillet if needed. Separating and loosening the kataifi now will help it coat evenly with butter and bake crisp rather than clump.

   180 g akkawi cheese, desalted and sliced140 g kataifi pastry, thawed
2. 2

   Make the syrup first so it can cool while the knafeh bakes: combine the sugar, water, and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring only until the sugar dissolves, then simmer 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the rose water and orange blossom water. Set aside to cool.

   120 g granulated sugar90 ml water5 ml lemon juice5 ml rose water5 ml orange blossom water
3. 3

   Cut or tear the kataifi into 2-3 cm lengths. Toss thoroughly with the melted butter and fine semolina, rubbing it through the strands with your fingertips so every strand is lightly coated; this gives the finished pastry its characteristic crispness and helps prevent dry patches.

   140 g kataifi pastry, thawed70 g unsalted butter, melted10 g fine semolina
4. 4

   Press a little over half of the buttered kataifi firmly into the pan to make an even base, compacting it right to the edges. Scatter over the akkawi and mozzarella in an even layer, leaving a 1 cm border so the cheese stays enclosed. Cover with the remaining kataifi and press down well to create a neat, compact round; tight packing is important so the knafeh holds together when turned out.

   140 g kataifi pastry, thawed180 g akkawi cheese, desalted and sliced60 g low-moisture mozzarella, grated
5. 5

   Bake for 14-16 minutes until deeply golden on top and the cheese is fully melted. If needed, rotate the pan halfway through for even colour. The knafeh is ready when the edges are crisp and you can hear gentle bubbling from the cheese.

6. 6

   Remove from the oven and let stand 2 minutes. Carefully invert onto a serving plate, then immediately spoon over about three-quarters of the cooled rose syrup so the hot pastry absorbs it while staying crisp at the edges. Finish with the chopped pistachios and serve at once, with the remaining syrup on the side.

   15 g pistachios, finely chopped

Origin & History

Knafeh is one of the Levant’s most celebrated pastries, especially associated with the cities of Nablus, Jerusalem, Beirut, and Tripoli, each with local variations. In Lebanon it is commonly made with fine kataifi or semolina dough, layered with mild white cheese, baked until crisp, and perfumed with rose or orange blossom syrup.