This kanafa recipe comes from my sister Nishat, whom we fondly call Nini. It’s a Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dessert that has many variations, depending on where you come from. Nini’s version uses mozzarella and a beautiful rose-flavoured syrup.
Ingredients
- 250–300g kataifi pastry*
- 150g butter, melted
- 250g mascarpone
- 1 teaspoon rose water
- 1 teaspoon orange blossom water
- 1–2 tablespoons icing sugar to taste
- ½ cup chopped pistachios, or other nuts
- 1 medium-sized ball mozzarella cheese
Syrup
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon rose water
- 1 teaspoon orange blossom water
- nuts and dried rose petals to decorate
- ice cream or cream to serve
* Kataifi filo pastry comes in fine strands and is available from specialty stores.
Serves 4-6
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Grease a pan or cake tin (use 4 mini loose-bottomed cake tins for individual servings or a 22–24cm tin for one large kanafa).
Cut the shredded kataifi pastry into shorter pieces and place in a bowl, add the melted butter and toss lightly. Place half the pastry in the prepared tin(s). Flatten the pastry with the base of a cup.
In another bowl, mix the mascarpone with the flavoured waters and icing sugar to taste. Spread it over the flattened pastry, then sprinkle with the chopped nuts. Shred the mozzarella and sprinkle over. Cover with the remaining buttered pastry.
Place the cake tin(s) on a baking tray to avoid any melted butter dripping down onto the base of your oven. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden.
Combine the ingredients for the syrup with ½ cup of water in a small saucepan and bring to the boil until syrupy.
Just before serving, pour the syrup over the kanafa and decorate with nuts and dried rose petals. Serve hot with ice cream or cream.
Saffron Swirls & Cardamom Dust by Ashia Ismail-Singer
RRP$49.99, Bateman Books
