Lebanese Knafeh Cheese Delight (Print Version)

Warm, stretchy cheese enclosed in crispy kataifi, drenched with fragrant honey syrup and pistachios.

# Components:

→ Cheese Filling

01 - 14 oz Akawi cheese (or unsalted mozzarella), soaked and drained
02 - 7 oz ricotta cheese

→ Pastry

03 - 9 oz kataifi (shredded phyllo dough), thawed
04 - 7 oz unsalted butter, melted

→ Syrup

05 - 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
06 - 3/4 cup water
07 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
08 - 1 tbsp orange blossom water
09 - 1 tbsp rose water

→ Garnish

10 - 2 tbsp finely chopped pistachios
11 - 1 tbsp honey (optional, for drizzling)

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F.
02 - Soak Akawi cheese in water for several hours or overnight, changing water hourly to reduce salt. Drain, pat dry, shred or slice thinly.
03 - Mix the soaked Akawi (or mozzarella) and ricotta cheese in a bowl and set aside.
04 - Place the thawed kataifi in a large bowl, gently separate the strands, and pour melted butter over. Toss well until all strands are coated.
05 - Grease a 9-inch round baking dish. Spread half the buttered kataifi evenly on the bottom, pressing to form a compact base.
06 - Evenly distribute the cheese mixture over the kataifi base.
07 - Cover the cheese with the remaining kataifi strands, gently pressing down to compact.
08 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and crisp.
09 - While baking, combine sugar, water, and lemon juice in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in orange blossom and rose water. Let cool.
10 - Remove from oven and immediately invert onto a serving platter. Pour half the cooled syrup evenly over the hot pastry.
11 - Sprinkle with chopped pistachios and drizzle honey if desired. Serve warm with additional syrup on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The moment you invert it onto the plate and watch the syrup cascade down the golden exterior is pure kitchen theater.
  • Somehow it tastes even better than it looks, with melted cheese stretching in every bite like an edible treasure hunt.
  • You can make it ahead and reheat it, which means less stress when guests arrive.
02 -
  • The cheese must be properly desalted or the entire dessert becomes inedible—there's no shortcut here, and every hour of soaking matters.
  • Inverting the knafeh while it's still hot is the secret to getting that crispy phyllo side facing up, so don't hesitate or it'll stick irreversibly to the pan.
  • The syrup must be cool before pouring, or the sudden temperature change will cause the delicate pastry to crack and the cheese to curdle.
03 -
  • If you can't find Akawi cheese, unsalted mozzarella works beautifully—the key is using low-moisture mozzarella and soaking it anyway to ensure it's not too salty.
  • Separating the kataifi strands gently with your fingers rather than a fork prevents unnecessary breakage and keeps the texture lighter and crisper.
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