Kunafah Nabulsi

kunafah is a very popular and tasty arabic dessert filled with cheese, soaked in sugar syrup and topped with pistachios.

Ingredients for pastry:

• 1 lb Kunafah shredded filo pastry.

• 1.5 Cup unsalted butter.

• 2 lb Ackawi cheese.

• Red food colouring powder.

• 1/2 cup crushed pistachios

Ingredients for syrup:

2 Cups sugar

1 1/2 cups water

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2teaspoon orange blossom water.

Directions:

heat a small sauce pan over a medium heat, add water, sugar, lemon juice, and orange blossom water and let it simmer for 8 mins or until sugar is fully dissolved. let it cool and set aside.

start by desalting the ackawi cheese: cut the ackawi cheese into small pieces. Cover with water and soak for 12 hours changing the water every couple of hours to reduce it saltiness. strain and set aside.

In a small bowl mix unsalted butter with the red food colouring.

Defrost the shredded filo pastry if frozen. lightly pull the dough with your hands or cut them to medium pieces.

Pour butter mix to a round 9 inch pan, brush butter making sure it cover the hole pan.

Add first half of philo to the greased pan and press the shredded pastry into the bottom of the pan and slightly up the sides.

Equally add the strained cheese to completely cover the surface.

add the remaning shredded pastry to fully cover the cheese, and press it gently with your hands.

Bake in preheated oven 350 degress for 30 minutes or until top and bottom of kunafah turns golden and crisp.

Remove from oven, loosen the edges with a knife. flip on a serving plate.

Drizzle 1/2 cup of sugar syrup