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.
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Annie lynn 'Mitchell' Testerman
testerman.a@yahoo.comI'm so glad I found this recipe. Kunafa is one of my favorite desserts and now I can make it at home!
Bryan Jurado
bryanjurado97@aol.comThis kunafa is the perfect dessert for a special occasion. It's beautiful and delicious.
Mira Shrestha
s.mira88@gmail.comI made this kunafa for a party and it was a huge hit! Everyone loved it and asked for the recipe.
Somto Onyejekwe
somtoo93@yahoo.comI'm allergic to nuts, so I substituted the pistachios with chopped walnuts. The kunafa was still delicious!
Nico Schimpf
nico@aol.comThis recipe was easy to follow, but the kunafa didn't turn out as well as I had hoped. I think I might have used the wrong kind of cheese.
Uchechukwu Michael
u.michael40@gmail.comThe kunafa was a bit dry. I think I should have used more butter or oil in the dough.
Bc Bijay
b@yahoo.comThe kunafa was good, but it wasn't as crispy as I would have liked. I think I might have cooked it for too long.
Niaz King all
n.all@yahoo.comThis kunafa was a bit too sweet for my taste, but it was still very good. I think I would use less sugar in the syrup next time.
Malik Ayyan
malikayyan@yahoo.comI'm not a huge fan of sweets, but this kunafa was amazing! The combination of the crispy phyllo dough and the sweet cheese filling was perfect. I couldn't stop eating it.
Alisher Boss
alisherboss82@aol.comI'm from Jordan and I grew up eating kunafa. This recipe is the closest I've come to finding an authentic kunafa recipe. It was absolutely delicious and brought back so many memories. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Liyakat Sheikh
liyakatsheikh98@gmail.comI love kunafa, but I've never been able to make it myself until now. This recipe was so easy to follow and the results were amazing! The kunafa was crispy and flavorful, and the syrup was the perfect sweetness. I will definitely be making this again
Shelby Packer
shelbypacker@yahoo.comThis was my first time making kunafa and it turned out great! I was worried it would be too difficult, but the recipe was very easy to follow. The kunafa was a big hit with my family and friends. I will definitely be making it again.
Leelaram Kholi
kholi@yahoo.comI've tried many kunafa recipes, but this one is by far the best. The instructions were easy to follow and the results were amazing. The kunafa was crispy on the outside and soft and gooey on the inside. The syrup was the perfect sweetness and flavor.
Bilal Arain
arainb54@yahoo.comThis kunafa recipe was absolutely delicious! The combination of the crispy phyllo dough, sweet cheese filling, and syrup was perfect. I will definitely be making this again.