Lebanese Knafeh Cheese Delight (Printable)

Warm stretchy cheese wrapped in crispy shredded phyllo, soaked in fragrant orange blossom syrup.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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 - 3.5 oz unsalted butter, melted

→ Syrup

05 - 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
06 - 3/4 cup water
07 - 1 tbsp fresh 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)

# Method:

01 - Set oven temperature to 350°F (180°C).
02 - Soak Akawi cheese in fresh water for several hours or overnight, changing water hourly to remove excess salt. Drain, pat dry, then shred or slice thinly.
03 - In a bowl, mix shredded Akawi (or mozzarella) with ricotta until evenly blended.
04 - Place kataifi in a large bowl. Gently separate strands and pour melted butter over, mixing thoroughly until all strands are coated.
05 - Grease a 9-inch round baking dish. Spread half the buttered kataifi evenly on the bottom, pressing down firmly to form a compact base.
06 - Spread cheese mixture evenly over the kataifi base.
07 - Cover cheese with remaining kataifi, pressing gently to compact layers.
08 - Place dish in oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown and crisp.
09 - While baking, combine sugar, water, and lemon juice in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 8 to 10 minutes until syrup slightly thickens. Remove from heat and stir in orange blossom water and rose water; let cool.
10 - Remove baked dish from oven. Immediately invert onto serving platter. Pour half of the cooled syrup evenly over hot pastry. Garnish with chopped pistachios and drizzle honey if desired. Serve warm, with extra syrup alongside.

# Expert Pointers:

01 -
  • That moment when the syrup hits the hot knafeh and creates this magical, steaming cloud of fragrance that fills your whole home.
  • The contrast between the crispy, buttery exterior and the warm, stretchy cheese inside feels like a small celebration on the plate.
  • It looks far more impressive than it actually is, making it the perfect dessert to bring to someone's home without spending your whole day cooking.
02 -
  • The syrup must be cool before it hits the hot knafeh—this creates that perfect texture where the pastry stays crispy on the outside while becoming tender and syrup-soaked inside. If you pour hot syrup on hot pastry, you'll end up with a mushy disappointment.
  • Soaking the Akawi cheese isn't optional, no matter how tempting it is to skip; undersalted knafeh tastes balanced and elegant, while oversalted knafeh tastes like a mistake you can't take back.
  • Serve this while it's still warm—knafeh tastes best when there's still steam rising from it and the cheese is in that perfect stretchy state.
03 -
  • If you want an extra-crispy knafeh, turn your broiler on for the final minute—watch it like a hawk because it goes from perfect to burnt in seconds, but that extra crunch is absolutely worth the attention.
  • Make your syrup first and let it cool completely while the knafeh bakes; this timing trick means you're never scrambling and everything flows smoothly.
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