Description
A delightful Middle Eastern dessert featuring crispy kataifi, creamy cheese, and a touch of luxury with gold flakes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 400g kataifi (shredded phyllo dough)
- 150g unsalted butter, melted
- 250g fresh mozzarella (low moisture)
- 200g ricotta cheese
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 cup sugar (for syrup)
- 1 cup water (for syrup)
- 1 tsp lemon juice (for syrup)
- 1 cup finely ground pistachios
- Edible gold flakes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Prepare the kataifi dough by loosening the strands in a large bowl.
- Add the melted butter over the kataifi strands and toss gently.
- Form the base by pressing half of the buttered kataifi into heart-shaped molds.
- Mix the mozzarella, ricotta, and 2 tablespoons of sugar in a separate bowl.
- Add the cheese mixture evenly over the kataifi base.
- Top with the remaining kataifi, pressing it down gently.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes until golden and crispy.
- Prepare the syrup by boiling 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water in a saucepan.
- Syrup application: Pour warm syrup over the baked kunafa.
- Garnish with pistachios and edible gold flakes.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Serve with vanilla ice cream or alongside Arabic coffee for a complete experience.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 heart
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 34g
- Sodium: 200mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
Keywords: pistachio, kunafa, dessert, Middle Eastern, special occasions, cheese, sweet syrup