Back to 12 servings 375 g kunafa, aka kataifi dough, fresh or frozen 0.333 cup plus 2 tablespoons melted ghee, 94g, or clarified butter *instructions below 3 tbsp scented sugar syrup, 60g 3 tbsp water, 45g 2 tbsp ghee or clarified butter, 30g, at room temperature, for cooking the knafeh Ground pistachios, optional, for garnish 2 cup granulated sugar, 400g 1 cup water, 230g Squeeze of lemon 2 tsp orange blossom water, more or less to taste 0.5 tsp rose water, more or less to taste 500 g Shelal cheese, or Shellala/Meshalela, preferably without black sesame 300 g Akkawi Tchiki Cheese
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1 Step 1: In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, water, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Set over medium-high heat. Avoid stirring as it heats to prevent crystallization, but if the sugar isn't dissolving, stir a few times. Once it comes to a boil, stop stirring.2 Step 2: Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for no longer than 10 minutes. Set a timer. The syrup will thicken slightly to a consistency like warm pancake syrup. If it simmers longer, it could thicken too much and become candy-like and not pourable. Stir in the orange blossom and rose waters.3 Step 3: Transfer to a medium bowl or gravy boat and allow to cool to room temperature before using.4 Step 4: Using a sharp knife, thinly slice both the shelal and akkawi cheese. Place each kind in a separate bowl and cover with lukewarm tap water to remove the saltiness. Soak for 2 to 6 hours, changing the water every 1/2 hour, until the cheese is no longer salty to the taste. Soaking time varies with salt content, so keep them separate. This can be done overnight, but then keep the bowls in the refrigerator.5 Step 5: Drain both cheeses through a colander, squeezing with your hand or the back of a spoon to remove excess liquid. Crumble both cheeses together with your hands or in a food processor to evenly combine. Set aside in the colander to release excess moisture while you prepare the knafeh crust (farkeh).6 Step 6: In a spice grinder, process the kunafa in batches until very finely ground and powdery, with the texture of fine bread crumbs. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in the ghee, 3 tablespoons of scented sugar syrup, and water until well combined and homogenous. It will look like cooked couscous and should feel very damp and stick to itself when squeezed between your palms.7 Step 7: In a medium bowl, combine the shredded kunafa strands with the ghee, 3 tablespoons of scented sugar syrup, and water until well coated. Pass through a meat grinder until a clumpy mixture comes out.8 Step 8: Transfer the kunafa mixture to a large skillet over medium heat. Toast, stirring continuously, taking care not to brown it, until it feels dry and sandy and no longer sticks to itself. The color should become one shade darker. While still hot, transfer to a food processor and process to smooth out any lumps, or strain through a large mesh sieve. At this point, the farkeh can be frozen in a zipper lock bag for months.9 Step 9: Brush a 34cm aluminum or copper pan ONLY with the 2 tablespoons of room temperature ghee. Remove 3 tablespoons of the farkeh and set aside. Evenly sprinkle the remaining farkeh over the bottom of the pan, compressing it with your hand into a compact, even layer about 3/4cm thick.10 Step 10: Spread the cheese mix over the knafeh crust, leaving a 2cm border around the edge uncovered.11 Step 11: Set the pan over one side of the stove top, making sure the flame covers only half the pan's bottom. If centered, the center will burn before the sides cook. On an electric stove, set to medium high; on gas, set to medium. Using tongs in one hand and wearing oven mitts in the other, rotate the pan continuously for even baking, patting the cheese with a clean cloth or kitchen towels to absorb released moisture. Continue rotating until the very edge of the crust turns deep golden brown and the cheese is mostly melted; 10 to 15 minutes. The edge color indicates the actual color of the knafeh's bottom. Remove from heat.12 Step 12: Cover the pan and let rest for a few minutes to allow the cheese to melt all the way through. Sprinkle the reserved 3 tablespoons of farkeh over the cheese layer to absorb excess moisture and prevent sticking to the serving platter.13 Step 13: Grease a serving platter with ghee, then invert the knafeh onto it, so the cheese layer is on the bottom and the crust is on top. Pour enough cooled scented sugar syrup over the surface to cover it, about 3/4 cup. Spread with a spatula to even out saturation. Garnish with ground pistachios if desired. Cut into squares and serve right away while warm and the cheese is gooey. Dollop with fresh eshta and drizzle with extra syrup if desired. If serving later, reheat by placing the platter over a simmering water bath; the steam will remelt the cheese and keep it gooey. Best eaten the same day.getsaucepan.com/r/6c620689-ef29-4fb0-a6e3-e247949efd80 · Original: https://cleobuttera.com/middle-eastern/knafeh-naameh/
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