[cooked-sharing]

Kataifi
Kataifi is a delicious dessert which is similar to baklava and very popular among the greeks. Chopped nuts wrapped in shredded phyllo and bathed in a sweet syrup. Delicious!
Ingredients
Method
- Thaw frozen kataifi in fridge overnight. Remove from fridge an hour before making the dessert.
Syrup
- Combine sugar, water, and orange peel in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, add cinnamon powder, and reduce to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes until syrup thickens slightly, approximately five minutes. Take off the heat and stir in a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice. Set aside to cool completely. Set syrup aside to cool.
Filling
- Pulse walnuts, almonds, and pistachios, 2 tbsp sugar, and 1-1/2 tsp cinnamon in food processor until coarsely chopped. Set aside.
Assembly
- Heat oven to 300 F (150 C). Butter a large 11 x 17 inch (28 x 43 cm) baking dish with melted butter. I use a pan that has sides that go straight down and don't slope.
- Take the kataifi out of the package, and gently pull apart until all the strands are separated. Divide the kataifi in half. Cover one half with a towel, and sprinkle water on top of the towel to keep the it from drying out. Divide the uncovered half into 10 equal parts.
- Spread one of the little piles into the shape of a rectangle, with the short side closest to you. Drizzle with butter. Add a tablespoon of the filling at the end closest to you and wrap it like a burrito, folding in the sides as you roll. Place in a buttered pan, leaving a small gap between rolls. Drizzle the top with butter.
- Repeat until you get 20 rolls. Use remaining butter to brush each roll well (they should be saturated in butter).
- Bake for 1-3/4 hours, or until the kataifi is golden brown. Take out of oven and slowly ladle the cooled syrup over the hot kataifi.
- Set aside to let the kataifi absorb the syrup (at least an hour).
- See more delicious dessert recipes here. Enjoy!


