Knafeh

Ingredients

• 400 gknafeh (kataifi pastry), shredded wheat pastry; roughly cut
• 6 tbspunsalted butter, melted; tossed through pastry
• yellow food colouring, a pinch; mixed into buttered pastry for traditional colour
• 1 cupmozzarella, shredded; for cheese filling
• 1/4 cupcream cheese, for cheese filling
• 1 1/2 cupmilk, for cheese filling
• 4 tbspsugar, for cheese filling
• 2 tbspcornstarch, for thickening cheese filling
• 1 cupsugar, for sugar syrup
• 1 cupwater, for sugar syrup
• 1 tsprose water, stirred into syrup
• 1/2 tsplemon juice, added to syrup

Method

1. 1

   Roughly cut the kataifi pastry. Toss with the melted butter and a pinch of yellow food colouring until evenly coated.

2. 2

   Make the cheese filling: whisk together the milk, cream cheese, 4 tbsp sugar and cornstarch in a bowl. Pour into a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat, cool slightly, then stir in the shredded mozzarella.

3. 3

   Preheat the oven to 200°C. Press half the buttered pastry into a baking dish to form an even base. Pour the cheese mixture over and spread level.

4. 4

   Cover with the remaining pastry, pressing gently. Bake for 20–25 minutes until the top is golden and crisp.

5. 5

   Make the syrup: dissolve the 1 cup sugar in 1 cup water, bring to a simmer and cook for 4–5 minutes until slightly thickened. Stir in the lemon juice and rose water.

6. 6

   Pour the warm syrup evenly over the knafeh as soon as it comes out of the oven. Serve immediately.