Golden Kanafeh

The copper kettle whistled on the back burner while I tried to remember where I put the rolling pin. My oldest daughter sat at the kitchen island doing her homework and watching every move I made with the shredded dough.

I wanted to make kanafeh for Friday dessert because the contrast of crisp spun pastry and melted cheese gets everyone to the table fast. It’s a rich, sweet treat that takes a little patience, but the result is well worth the effort in our house.

Prep: 25 minutes · Cook: 45 minutes · Total: about 1 hour 15 minutes · Serves: 6

How do you get the pastry for kanafeh crispy and golden brown? You have to pull the shredded dough apart completely and rub the melted butter into every single strand with your fingers before pressing it into the pan.

If any dry spots remain, those sections won’t brown correctly in the oven.

↓ Jump to the recipe

The Ingredient List

• Slices kataifi pastry 300 g to 340 g, pulled apart
• Unsalted butter 155 g, melted (or ghee)
• Unsalted butter 1 tbsp to 2 tbsp, for greasing the pan
• Fresh ricotta cheese 140 g
• Shredded mozzarella cheese 140 g
• Granulated sugar 125 g
• Water 240 ml
• Fresh lemon juice 1 tsp
• Rose water 1/2 tsp (or orange blossom water)
• Pistachios 30 g, chopped

Ingredient Notes

The shredded kataifi pastry is the backbone of this dessert, and you’ll find it in the freezer aisle of many large supermarkets or at Middle Eastern specialty shops. Make sure to thaw it completely and tease out all the tight clumps with your fingers until the strands look light and fluffy.

For the filling, neither of the traditional recipes I worked from gives a single definitive cheese blend, so I use a simple mix of fresh ricotta and grated mozzarella. It melts into a stretchy, creamy center that balances the sweet citrus syrup without overpowering the pastry.

The sugar syrup brings everything together at the end with a bright hint of lemon and fragrant rose water. You want to simmer it just long enough to dissolve the sugar into a clear liquid that pours easily over the hot pastry.

How to Make Kanafeh

1. Prepare the syrup. Combine the granulated sugar, water, and fresh lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat, bringing it to a simmer until the sugar dissolves completely. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the rose water, and set it aside to cool.
2. Preheat the oven. Set your oven temperature to a moderate heat setting, and grease your baking pan thoroughly with one to two tablespoons of melted butter, making sure to coat the bottom and sides evenly.
3. Shred the pastry. Place the thawed kataifi pastry into a large mixing bowl and pull the strands apart gently with your fingers until no tight knots or clumps remain.
4. Coat with butter. Pour the melted butter evenly over the separated pastry strands, tossing and rubbing the butter into the dough with your hands until every single strand is moistened.
5. Press the base. Pack half of the buttered pastry tightly into the bottom of your prepared baking pan, pressing down firmly with your palms to create a solid, even layer.
6. Add the cheese. Mix the fresh ricotta and shredded mozzarella together in a small bowl, then spread the cheese mixture evenly over the pastry base, leaving a small border around the edges.
7. Cover the filling. Distribute the remaining buttered pastry evenly over the cheese layer, pressing down very gently so you don’t displace the filling underneath.
8. Bake the pastry. Place the pan in the oven and bake until the top turns a deep golden brown and the edges look crisp and toasted.
9. Invert and finish. Run a knife around the edges of the pan while it’s still hot, place a large serving platter over the top, and carefully invert the kanafeh so the golden bottom faces up.
10. Pour the syrup. Drizzle the cooled sugar syrup evenly all over the hot pastry, letting it soak into the warm crust before scattering the chopped pistachios across the top.

Make-Ahead and Leftovers

Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. To reheat a portion, warm it gently in a skillet over low heat or in a toaster oven so the pastry crisps back up.

Avoid using the microwave, as it will make the crunchy crust soft and soggy.

More From My Kitchen

• Bubbling Blackberry Cobbler
• Bubbling Blueberry Cobbler
• Chewy Snickerdoodles
• Classic Apple Crisp
• Classic Apple Pie
• Classic Blueberry Cheesecake (Baked)
• Classic Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
• Classic Chocolate Cake
• Classic French Apple Cake
• Classic Lemon Bars

Golden Kanafeh

Recipe by Daisy MerrittCourse: DessertCuisine: American

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

25

minutes

Cooking time

45

minutes

Ingredients

• Slices kataifi pastry 300 g to 340 g, pulled apart

• Unsalted butter 155 g, melted (or ghee)

• Unsalted butter 1 tbsp to 2 tbsp, for greasing the pan

• Fresh ricotta cheese 140 g

• Shredded mozzarella cheese 140 g

• Granulated sugar 125 g

• Water 240 ml

• Fresh lemon juice 1 tsp

• Rose water 1/2 tsp (or orange blossom water)

• Pistachios 30 g, chopped

Directions

• Prepare the syrup. Combine the granulated sugar, water, and fresh lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat, bringing it to a simmer until the sugar dissolves completely. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the rose water, and set it aside to cool.
• Preheat the oven. Set your oven temperature to a moderate heat setting, and grease your baking pan thoroughly with one to two tablespoons of melted butter, making sure to coat the bottom and sides evenly.
• Shred the pastry. Place the thawed kataifi pastry into a large mixing bowl and pull the strands apart gently with your fingers until no tight knots or clumps remain.
• Coat with butter. Pour the melted butter evenly over the separated pastry strands, tossing and rubbing the butter into the dough with your hands until every single strand is moistened.
• Press the base. Pack half of the buttered pastry tightly into the bottom of your prepared baking pan, pressing down firmly with your palms to create a solid, even layer.
• Add the cheese. Mix the fresh ricotta and shredded mozzarella together in a small bowl, then spread the cheese mixture evenly over the pastry base, leaving a small border around the edges.
• Cover the filling. Distribute the remaining buttered pastry evenly over the cheese layer, pressing down very gently so you don’t displace the filling underneath.
• Bake the pastry. Place the pan in the oven and bake until the top turns a deep golden brown and the edges look crisp and toasted.
• Invert and finish. Run a knife around the edges of the pan while it’s still hot, place a large serving platter over the top, and carefully invert the kanafeh so the golden bottom faces up.
• Pour the syrup. Drizzle the cooled sugar syrup evenly all over the hot pastry, letting it soak into the warm crust before scattering the chopped pistachios across the top.