Knafeh Nabulsieh (Sweet Cheese Pastry)
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The Tale of Knafeh Nabulsieh (Sweet Cheese Pastry)
Knafeh Nabulsieh takes its name from Nablus, where it's said to have developed, likely during the Ottoman era, using soft white cheese beneath an orange-dyed semolina topping soaked in syrup. The Nabulsi style is widely considered the archetype from which other Middle Eastern knafeh variations descend.
Ingredients
Scale:· 8 servings
- 500 g kataifi (shredded phyllo) dough, thawed
- 500 g fresh nabulsi or mozzarella cheese, desalted and shredded
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup fine semolina
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon rose water or orange blossom water
- Orange food coloring (optional)
- Crushed pistachios, for garnish
Instructions
- 1Make the syrup by boiling the sugar and water together for 8-10 minutes until slightly thickened, then stir in the lemon juice and rose water; cool completely.
- 2Preheat the oven to 190C (375F) and grease a round baking pan generously with melted butter.
- 3Shred the kataifi dough finely with your hands and toss thoroughly with the melted butter and a few drops of food coloring if using.
- 4Press two-thirds of the buttered kataifi firmly into the bottom of the pan to form an even base layer.
- 5Sprinkle the semolina evenly over the kataifi base, then spread the shredded cheese in an even layer on top.
- 6Cover the cheese completely with the remaining kataifi, pressing down firmly and evenly.
- 7Bake for 30-35 minutes until the top is golden brown and crisp.
- 8Immediately upon removing from the oven, invert the knafeh onto a serving platter and pour the cool syrup evenly over the hot pastry.
- 9Garnish with crushed pistachios and serve warm.
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