Kataifi
Ingredients
- 450 g kataifi (shredded phyllo) dough, thawed and separated
- 250 g walnuts, chopped, mixed with pistachios if desired
- 1/4 tsp ground clove, 1 tsp cinnamon
- 200 g butter, melted
- Syrup: sugar, water, lemon juice, optional cinnamon stick or lemon zest
Kataifi uses a distinctive shredded phyllo dough — fine, noodle-like strands rather than sheets — wrapped around a spiced walnut and pistachio filling and rolled into small cylinders. Baked until golden and crisp, the rolls are drenched in a lemon-scented sugar syrup while still hot, giving a texture somewhere between baklava and a crunchy noodle pastry.
Method
Pulse the walnuts (and pistachios, if using) with clove and cinnamon until coarsely ground.
Gently separate the shredded phyllo into small bundles.
Brush a bundle with melted butter, place a spoonful of the nut filling at one end, and roll tightly into a small cylinder, tucking in the sides.
Arrange the rolls snugly in a buttered baking pan and brush the tops with more melted butter.
Bake at around 175°C (350°F) for 30-35 minutes, until golden and crisp.
Meanwhile, simmer sugar, water and lemon juice (with cinnamon stick or zest if using) into a syrup; keep it hot or warm.
Pour the hot syrup over the rolls as soon as they come out of the oven and let them absorb before serving.
