Best Kunafa Recipes
KUNAFA THE TRADITIONALLY DESERT
Kunafa is like the Middle East's version of a cheese danish. Its base is mild, stretchy white cheese--very like fresh mozzarella or paneer--with a topping of rich semolina pastry, all of it soaked in sweet rosewater syrup. The sweet is baked in giant rounds, and cut into pieces for serving. Although kunafa is popular in many parts of the Middle East, it is apparently native the ancient Palestinian city of Nablus, on the West Bank. Nablus Sweets in Bay Ridge takes great pride in the confection, which it spells k'nafee. This morning, around noon, the sweet was still in the oven. When it finally emerged, it was an orange-tinted wonder, leaking melted cheese and syrup, probably more than two feet in diameter. The counterwoman cut a drippy slice and weighed it: $6 for a portion that would feed three enthusiastic eaters. And the kunafa is delicious, the mild, slightly tangy cheese anchoring the sugary, nutty semolina on top. In 2009, a pastry chef in Nablus (palestine) made the world's largest kunafa. It was 243 feet long and weighed 3,891 pounds. It was shared among the residents of the city.
Provided by Walid Nazzal
Categories Palestinian
Time 2h30m
Yield 12 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- 1. In a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat, add water, the 1 1/2 cups sugar and lemon juice. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil. Let simmer to a syrupy consistency. Remove from heat, let cool and add rosewater or vanilla.
- 2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F/180 degrees Celsius Butter a 12-inch round, 2-inch high cake pan.
- 3. In a large bowl gently loosen kataifi. Mix very well with the 1/2 pound of melted butter. Place blanched almonds in a decorative pattern in the cake pan. Cover with half of the kataifi. Press down lightly.
- 4. If using the ricotta cheese, spread in an even layer over kataifi, then cover with the remaining half of the kataifi. Press down gently.
- 5. If using the raisins and walnuts sprinkle an even layer over kataifi. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Cover with the remainig half of the kataifi. Press down gently.
- 6. Bake until lightly golden, about 30 to 45 minutes. (Note: the reverse side will be more golden when you turn it out.)
- 7. Immediately pour cold sugar syrup evenly over the hot kunafa. Let cool completely to room temperature. Invert onto serving plate.
- 8. If using the ricotta cheese, kunafa should be served warm or hot. It may be difficult to invert with the ricotta filling so cut and serve from pan.
CREAM KUNAFA
Delicious cream filled Middle Eastern sweet. This kunafa receives tremendous compliments on its sweet & savory combination and is requested very often. You may use 2 1/2 - 3 "small" cans plain keshta for a regular pie plate (it will not be able to hold all the kataifi pastry though) or 4 1/2 cans for the pan size called for, just don't tell anyone it was that easy! And don't forget to add in sugar to the keshta and mix well with a whisk. (I have made both fresh and with canned keshta and both ways received encores!) *Using canned keshta is just so much easier!!! A dessert of the cuisines of the former Ottoman empire in the Eastern Mediterranean as well as Arab countries. Recipe adapted from Arabesque: A Taste of Morocco, Turkey, and Lebanon, by Claudia Roden.
Provided by UmmBinat
Categories Dessert
Time 1h10m
Yield 1 pan, 10 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Syrup: In a small saucepan on high heat add water, sugar and lemon juice, bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cook until light bodied syrup (I test it by putting a drop on the stove surface and feeling it under my finger. It should feel like it developed a bit of body). Add orange blossom water, cool then chill.
- In a medium saucepan on high heat, add whole milk. Have a whisk and gently pour rice flour into milk, whisk vigorously until there are no lumps what so ever.
- Add cream, mix well.
- Reduce heat to low and allow simmering 15 minutes, whisking through out every minute. Be careful not to burn the bottom! Add sugar, set aside.
- In an extra large bowl, add Kataifi pastry, breaking all strings apart with hands.
- Add melted butter over pastry mixing well with hands, until covered.
- In an 11-12 inch pie pan, add half of Kataifi pastry, press down. Add cream filling (if using canned keshta as stated in the introduction make sure to add sugar until lightly sweet) smooth out (cream should no be runny) then add other half of Kataifi pastry, press down somewhat. Bake in a pre-heated 350F oven for 45 minutes or until golden brown.
- Pour half of the cooled sugar syrup over the pastry; reserve other half to serve at table.
- Garnish with chopped pistachios.
- Enjoy after cooled to room temperature.
KANAFEH OR KUNAFA OR KANAFI
My Dad is Palestinian and this was his FAVORITE dessert. I had it as often as he could find it or convince my Mom to make it while I was growing up. I am surprised how difficult it can be to find this in middle eastern eateries. So I thought I'd finally post the secret recipe. It is simple and delicious. The cheese doesn't have to be goat, just on the sweet/not salty side, fresh mozzarella works, just soak it to remove some salt if needed.
Provided by sarsalam
Categories Dessert
Time 1h30m
Yield 1 dessert, 12-16 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Make Syrup first:.
- Bring water and sugar to a boil, reduce heat.
- Add lemon juice and rose water (optional).
- Simmer until all sugar is dissolved, about 5-10min.
- Set aside to cool.
- Kanafi:.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Drain ricotta of excess liquid and mix with other cheese.
- Remove shredded phyllo dough from box and loosen shreds in a large bowl.
- Toss the shreds with melted butter to coat evenly.
- Arrange half of the buttered dough evenly on a 9X13 pan or baking dish.
- Spoon cheese mixture on top in an even layer.
- Place the remaining dough on top and press lightly with hands.
- Cover with foil and bake 30 min at 350°F.
- Remove foil and bake an additional 30 min or until crisp and golden .
- Serve warm or room temp with lemon syrup.
KUNAFA
Kunafa is one of the most ubiquitous pastries across the Middle East, and is such a simple dessert. It easy to make with vermicelli-like kataifi pastry.
Provided by Salma Hage
Yield Serves 4
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F or 200ºC.
- Place the pastry in a bowl and pour over the melted butter. Use your hands to separate the strands and distribute the butter evenly among them.
- Pack half the buttery pastry into the base of an 8-inch (20-cm) round ovenproof pan, making sure some of the pastry rises up the sides. Press gently down all over with the base of a glass to ensure the pastry is packed down tightly.
- In a separate mixing bowl, combine the mozzarella and ricotta. Spread the cheese mixture over the pastry in the pan and cover with the remaining pastry. Pack down again with the base of a glass.
- Place the pan in the oven and bake for 25 minutes until crisp and golden.
- While the pastry is baking, make the syrup. Put the sugar into a saucepan with the lemon zest and juice and ½ cup (4 fl oz. or 120 ml) of water. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 8-10 minutes until the mixture reaches a syrupy consistency.
- Pour the syrup over the pastry as soon as it comes out of the oven, then allow to rest in the pan for 5 minutes before turning out on to a plate.
- Top with the chopped pistachios and rose petals, and cut into 4 slices to serve.
CHEESE KUNAFA RECIPE - (4.5/5)
Provided by yasalamcooking
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Make your syrup first. Add ingredients and stir on low heat until syrup is thick! Allow to cool then place in fridge. Place your kataifi in a large bowl with your butter, mix and untangle the strings. You will use a 11-12 inch pie pan. Place half of the pastry in the bottom of the pan. Then add cheese filling, pressing down with hand, add remaining of pastry strings. Bake in a 325 f over for 45 mins. After pastry has baked I always place the pan on the stove eye for a few seconds to make my top brown and not pale. With a butter knife go around kunafa, place plate on top and flip. Now you decorate with your nuts. I grind mine in a processor. You can get creative now. I add the sugar syrup before and after. But I sit most of it on the table and let people decide how much they want.
CHEESE KUNAFA
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- SHRED PHYLO DOUGH MIX IN ELTED BUTTER AND COLORING-MIX CHEESES AND SUGAR-LAYER PHYLO IN PAN THEN CHEESES AND TOP WITH ANOTHER LYER OF PHYLO BAKE FOR ABOUT 4 MINUTES-REMOV AND POUR SUGAR OVER KUNAFS
KUNAFA
labenese dessert recipe
Provided by xxlil_bitxx
Time 1h30m
Yield Serves 8
Number Of Ingredients 0
Steps:
- To make the syrup: Put 1 ½ cup of water in a deep pan
- Add ½ of a squeezed lemon, 1 ½ cup of sugar
- Put the liquid on the stove; on medium heat, Stir for 10 minutes, Let it simmer until thickened
- To Make the Dough: Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Put the Kunafa (phyllo) Dough in a mixing bowl, Melt the butter in the microwave, then pour it on the dough. Mix the butter and the dough well until it is all absorbed
- Take a baking pan and add a few oil drops on the bottom so the dough does not stick to the bottom of the pan
- Take half the dough that you mixed the butter with and place it in pan. Using both hands, pat down the dough well until you can't see the bottom of the pan. Place mixed nuts on top of the Kunafa dough; cheese can also be added.
- Cover the nuts with the other half of the dough. Pat down very well.
- Place into oven for 25 to 30 minutes until the Kunafa becomes a golden color
- Remove the Kunafa from the oven and pour the syrup on top of it evenly. Set aside for 10 minutes to cool
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