Excerpted from Mind Over Batter: 75 Recipes for Baking as Therapy by Jack Hazan, © 2023. Published by Chronicle Books. Photographs © Lauren Volo.
Grandma Peggy’s Kanafeh
May 18, 2023
Listen to me because I mean this: Kanafeh, a shredded phyllo dough and ricotta dessert, is the gateway to all deliciousness. It is the ultimate Middle Eastern dessert, but every person deserves to taste it. My favorite not-so-secret ingredient in this recipe is rose water. Generations of Middle Eastern bakers have been using rose water for its delicate and floral aroma and taste, helping bring balance to the dish. This kanafeh is so comforting to me because it brings me back to my childhood and connects me to my Syrian ancestry.
Ingredients
For the Syrup
- 1cup [200 g] sugar
- 1tsp orange blossom water
- 1tsp rose water
For the Pastry
- 2lb [910 g] part skim or whole-milk ricotta
- ½cup [120 ml] heavy cream
- ⅓cup [65 g] sugar
- 2Tbsp cornstarch
- 2tsp rose water
- 1tsp orange blossom water
- 1 ½cups [330 g] unsalted butter
- 16oz [455 g] box kataifi (shredded phyllo dough)
Yield: Serves 8
Preparation
To make the Grandma Peggy’s Kanafeh
- Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F [180°C]. Have a 3 qt [2.8 L] baking dish ready.
- Step 2
In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the sugar, 1/2 cup [120 ml] of water, the orange blossom water, and rose water until the sugar dissolves, then decrease the heat to low and allow it to simmer for 15 minutes, or until the syrup thickens slightly. Pour the syrup into a heat-safe container and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Step 3
In a 4 qt [3.8 L] saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the ricotta and heavy cream. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
- Step 4
In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch. Stir it into the ricotta mixture and allow the mixture to return to a gentle boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Add the rose water and orange blossom water and simmer for 5 minutes more, whisking occasionally. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool.
- Step 5
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Do not allow it to boil! As the butter melts, tear up the kanafeh into shreds and place in a medium bowl. Pour the melted butter over the kanafeh and toss them together until the kanafeh is completely saturated.
- Step 6
Spread half of the kanafeh in the bottom of the baking dish, then top it with all of the ricotta mixture, spreading it evenly. Top with the remaining kanafeh. Bake for 1 hour, or until the top turns golden.
- Step 7
Remove from the oven, pour the syrup over the kanafeh, and allow the dish to cool slightly. Scoop servings with a spoon and serve warm. Store the dish, covered in plastic wrap, in the fridge for up to four days.