Konafa Recipes

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.

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Use a food processor to finely chop the frozen, shredded phyllo dough. The strands should be about the size of a grain of rice. Pour the dough into a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the ricotta, mozzarella, and 1/3 cup sugar.
• Place the butter in a large liquid measuring cup or bowl with a spout. Heat the butter in a microwave until completely melted, and let it sit for several minutes until a thick white foam has formed on top. Clarify the butter by using a spoon to skim off the foam.
• Carefully pour the butter into the bowl of phyllo dough. Avoid pouring in the white milk solids at the bottom of the clarified butter. Use your hands to mix the butter and dough together. Make sure that the butter is absorbed by taking handfuls of the dough and rubbing it between your palms.
• Evenly spread the buttered phyllo dough into a 9x13-inch pan and firmly press it into the bottom and edges. Spread the cheese mixture onto the dough, avoiding the edges of the pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese is slightly golden and the edges of dough are brown and bubbly, 30 to 35 minutes.
• While the kanafa is baking, prepare the syrup. Combine the water and 1/2 cup sugar in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the lemon juice. Simmer, stirring constantly, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is thickened, 5 to 7 minutes. (Do not let the mixture turn golden and caramelize.) Remove from heat and add the rose water; set aside.
• Remove the kanafa from the oven. Place a large platter or baking sheet over the baking dish. Using oven mitts, carefully invert the baking dish onto the platter so the phyllo is on top. Pour the syrup over the kanafa. Cut into pieces and serve while hot.

Steps:

• Make Syrup with:.
• 1 cup sugar.
• 1/4 cup water.
• 2 tsp lemon juice.
• 1 tsp orange blossom water.
• Cream Filling.
• 2 tablespoons ground rice.
• 1 tablespoons sugar.
• 1 1/2 cups milk.
• 2 Tbsp cup heavy cream.
• Walnut or Pistachios Filling.
• 1 cup walnuts and pistachios; chopped.
• 1 tbsp sugar
• Prepare the syrup by combining all and simmering over medium heat until thickened. Stir in orange blossom water and refrigerate for at least an hour.
• Cream filling:.
• Mix ground rice and sugar to a smooth paste with 1/2 the milk.
• Boil the rest of the milk and add the ground rice paste slowly, stirring continuously. Simmer until thick.
• Let cool, add cream and mix well.
• Walnut or pistachio filling:.
• Mix the chopped nuts with sugar. Put the konafa pastry in a large bowl and pull apart to separate the strands as much as possible. Pour melted butter over them and work it in thoroughly.
• Put half of the pastry in a large, deep oven dish. Spread either filling over it evenly.
• Cover with the remaining pastry and flattening out with the palm of your hand.
• Bake at uncovered 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.
• Then increase temperature to 400 degrees for an additional 10 minutes or longer until it is golden.
• Remove from the oven and immediately pour the cold syrup over the hot konafa. Serve hot or cold.
• It is delicious when still warm.

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.

Steps:

• --------Preparationof Syrup-------------.
• Add sugar to water, stir on mild-heat stove until dissolve.
• Add lemon juice and boil for 30- 45 minutes using minimum heat until it gets viscous and thick.
• Allow it to cool to room temperature.
• Add vanilla.
• ------Preparationof the nuts----------.
• Convert the nuts to small particle in the size of sesame seeds.
• Mix with coconuts and cinnamon.
• --------Preparationof Konafoh ----------.
• Use 9 x I I inch tray; coat all sides of the tray with butter Mix konafah with molten butter.
• To do so, try to divide it to small pieces to be mixed with butter.
• After mixing, divide konafah into two equal quantities.
• Spread the first half of konafah in the tray and try to press it and make its surface even.
• Spread the nuts mixture over it.
• Then, add and spread the second half.
• Press it with f-ingers, makes its surface even.
• Add the remainder amount of butter on the surface evenly.
• Bake in preheated oven (325 f) for about 20 minutes until the lower surface of kanafah turned into golden color.
• Turn the oven to broil until the upper surface turned into golden color.
• Sooner, remove it from the oven.
• Add the cold syrup to it evenly.
• Cover it with aluminum foil.
• Allow it cool.
• · Divide it into a 12 equal pieces.