Classic Lebanese knafeh with stretchy akkawi cheese layered beneath crispy golden kataifi pastry, soaked in rose-scented syrup and crowned with crushed pistachios.
Knafeh (كنافة), also spelled kunafa, is the queen of Levantine desserts — a masterpiece of contrasting textures and flavors that has been made in the Levant for more than a thousand years. The Nablus city in the West Bank is historically its most famous home, and 'knafeh Nabulsieh' with its vivid orange exterior (colored with food coloring) set the standard that Lebanese, Syrian, and Palestinian pastry shops have replicated ever since. Lebanese knafeh, however, often uses a slightly different cheese blend, favoring akkawi (a mild, lightly salted white cheese) or a mixture of akkawi and mozzarella that achieves the spectacular melting, stretchy pull for which the dish is famous. The dish is built in two layers: fine shredded kataifi (wheat pastry threads) forms the base; beneath it lies a generous layer of cheese; and the whole is baked until the pastry turns golden and the cheese melts into stretchy ribbons. It is then immediately flipped, soaked in fragrant rose-water and orange-blossom sugar syrup, and garnished with vivid green crushed pistachios. Served hot from the pan, it is both an everyday pleasure and a festive occasion essential across all of Lebanon.
Serves 8
Combine sugar, water, and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Simmer for 7–8 minutes until slightly thickened to the consistency of thin maple syrup. Remove from heat and stir in rose water and orange blossom water. Cool.
Make the syrup first so it is fully cooled before you need it — warm syrup on warm pastry makes it soggy rather than soaking in properly.
If you haven't already, soak akkawi cheese in cold water for 2–4 hours, changing the water twice. This removes the excess salt. Drain well and roughly crumble. Combine with torn mozzarella.
Place thawed kataifi in a large bowl and use your fingers to pull it apart into shorter, loose strands (aim for 2–3 cm lengths). Pour melted butter over it and toss thoroughly until every strand is coated. If using food coloring, add it now.
Press half the buttered kataifi into the bottom of a 30 cm oven-safe non-stick pan or round baking dish, pressing firmly and evenly to form the base crust. Spread the cheese mixture evenly over the base. Cover with the remaining kataifi and press gently.
A round cake tin with removable base makes flipping much easier.
Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C (400°F) for 25–30 minutes until the pastry is deeply golden and the cheese has melted. Alternatively, bake on the stovetop over medium-low heat in a non-stick pan for 20 minutes, then finish under the broiler.
Run a knife around the edge of the pan. Place a large flat plate over the pan and quickly invert — the golden crust will now be on top. Immediately pour two-thirds of the cooled syrup over the hot knafeh, letting it soak in for 1 minute.
Scatter crushed pistachios generously over the top. Serve immediately — knafeh must be eaten hot when the cheese is still stretchy and flowing. Pass extra syrup at the table for those who like it sweeter.
Akkawi cheese is sold in Middle Eastern supermarkets in vacuum-sealed blocks. Overnight soaking in cold water is essential to remove its briny saltiness.
For the trademark stretchy pull, never substitute with ricotta or cream cheese — only use cheeses that melt and stretch under heat, such as mozzarella or halloumi mixed with akkawi.
Knafeh waits for no one — have guests seated and ready before you flip and serve. The stretchy cheese window lasts only 5 minutes before it firms up.
Knafeh bil ashta: replace the cheese layer with thick Lebanese clotted cream (ashta) for a rich, dairy-forward version popular in coastal Lebanese cities.
Chocolate knafeh: a modern Lebanese café innovation that sandwiches Nutella between the kataifi layers and tops with milk chocolate shavings.
Knafeh is best eaten fresh and hot. Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 2 days but the pastry softens significantly. Reheat in a hot oven or dry non-stick pan to re-crisp the base; warm the extra syrup and pour over before serving.
Knafeh has its roots in the royal kitchens of the Fatimid caliphate in 10th-century Egypt, where early versions are described in the Arabic cookbook Kitab al-Wusla. The version using stretchy white cheese became associated with Nablus in Palestine, which earned a 'collective trademark' for Nabulsieh knafeh from the Palestinian Authority in 2012. Lebanese, Syrian, and Egyptian pastry traditions then developed their own distinct regional interpretations over subsequent centuries.
Kataifi is sold frozen in most Middle Eastern, Greek, or Turkish supermarkets. It is sometimes labeled 'shredded wheat pastry' or 'kadayif.' Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and let it come to room temperature before using so the strands separate easily.
You can assemble it and keep it unbaked in the refrigerator for up to 6 hours. Make the syrup in advance. Bake and flip just before serving — it truly cannot be made ahead once cooked.
Either the cheese ratio is wrong (you need both akkawi and mozzarella for the optimal pull) or the knafeh cooled too much before eating. The stretchy quality is characteristic of hot cheese and disappears as it cools and firms.
Per serving (180g / 6.3 oz) · 8 servings total
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