“Ask anyone from Arab countries what their favorite dessert is, and without hesitation they will most likely respond: ‘Knafeh,’” says Blanche Shaheen at her acclaimed Arab food blog, Feast in the Middle East, where she features cuisine from all of the Levant and beyond.
“This iconic dessert, spelled a myriad of ways, from kanafeh to knafe to kanafeh, is undoubtedly the most popular dessert among Arabs the world over. This layered confection consists of shredded phyllo dough called ‘kataife’ doused with ghee or melted butter, covering a layer of gooey sweet and melted cheese. The whole pastry is then doused with a sweet syrup accented with lemon, or even rose water depending on preference. Chopped pistachios crown the top with extra crunch and contrasting color. Eaten together, the rich layers are sweet, creamy, buttery, and crunchy.”
“The dough is usually dyed a bright orange, so most people can spot the massive disks of melted buttery goodness in bakeries from a block away. While there are several theories on the origins of this legendary dessert, most historical roads lead to the town of Nablus in Palestine. The knafeh bakers from Nablus are renowned, often passing on family recipes handed down to them from hundreds of years ago. Nablus certainly is the most plausible area of origin, as the town is famous for their Nabulsi cheese. This cheese is made fresh from goats roaming the picturesque olive tree studded hills, making the ultimate foundation for knafeh. To solidify their place in world history, 170 Nabulsi bakers got together in 2009 to make the largest knafeh in an attempt to break the Guinness World Record. The pastry covered the city like an orange carpet spanning 75 meters wide and weighing in at 1550 kilograms.”
“While knafeh was a well-kept secret in Arab countries and Turkey, recently the secret has leaked out into the American mainstream, with the arrival of this dessert at Trader Joes. While the uninitiated might welcome this novel and niche dessert in a conventional supermarket, this frozen version does not even come close to the ones made at home or found in bakeries. For many, visiting Nablus to eat the authentic dessert is not practical, but with just a few ingredients you can make a superior version of knafeh in your own home. Many Middle Eastern markets sell everything you need, from the dough and the cheese to the orange dye and ghee.”
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds Akawi sweet cheese or farmer’s cheese (Mexican Queso Blanco)