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Dessert Atlas · Dessert

Knafeh Nabulseyeh

  • Advanced
  • 80 min
  • roughly 2 of 4 for cost
  • Vegetarian

rich · nutty-toasted · bright Leads with richness that coats and comforts, toasted, nutty warmth throughout, with a clean, bright snap.

Ingredients

  • 400g kataifi (shredded filo), thawed, chopped short and tossed with 150g melted butter or ghee
  • 400g akkawi or a mozzarella + a little ricotta blend, sliced and DESALTED if using akkawi (soak, change water thrice)
  • Syrup (qatr): 300g sugar, 200ml water, squeeze of lemon, 1 tsp orange-blossom water
  • Ground pistachios, a generous green blizzard
  • A round metal tray; the flip is part of the ceremony

Equipment

Sheet pan

The skills inside

Handling phyllo

The words inside

Akkawi & NabulsiPistachio

Allergen screen

Found: gluten · dairy · nuts

Screened for: gluten, dairy, egg, nuts, peanuts, fish, shellfish, molluscs, soy, sesame, celery, mustard, lupin, alcohol. Not screened: sulphites.

Screened by keyword from the ingredient list, not reviewed by a person; check every label for what the list cannot show.

Method

  1. Press half the buttered kataifi firmly into the tray (tint the tray with a little orange food color or safflower for the classic sunset, or don't).
  2. Cheese layer edge to edge; remaining kataifi pressed on top.
  3. Bake 200°C, 30–35 min (or the stovetop-rotation method of the Nablus masters) until the base is deep gold. 35 min
  4. Flip onto a serving tray; pour the ROOM-TEMPERATURE syrup over the HOT knafeh: the hiss is the applause; pistachio over everything. Serve within the hour, while the cheese pulls.

At the Table

The Pour
Moscato d’Asti
Also Right
Late-harvest Riesling
From the Taps
Witbier
Zero-Proof
Sparkling elderflower

Citrus desserts need a wine sweeter than they are, with acid enough to keep up: light, frothy, and low-proof wins.

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Film school

This dish, cooked on camera Search films of Knafeh Nabulseyeh Technique: Handling phylloThe skill inside this recipe Search YouTube: Claire Saffitz on Knafeh Nabulseyeh A YouTube search for Claire Saffitz and this dish. No affiliation.