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    Home » Recipes » Baking Recipes

    Kanafe with Ricotta and Shredded Phyllo

    Published: Jun 1, 2016 · Modified: Oct 8, 2022 by Samantha Ferraro · This post may contain affiliate links · 4 Comments

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    Kanafe is a Middle Eastern dessert that is filled with cheese and and layered with shredded phyllo that is finished with an orange simple syrup.

    Kanafe: A Middle Eastern dessert with cheese and shredded phyllo

    One of my favorite things to do with my girlfriends, is to drag them to obscure, random, foreign places and introduce them to flavors and textures that they have never met before. Some of the time, they nod their heads, hold their nose and take one for the team, but most of the time, they oblige happily and are surprised and interested in the new flavors and cultures they are experiencing.

    One of the last places we visited before I moved, was this Persian restaurant in a, let’s just say “up and coming” Middle Eastern area. The area wasn’t that great. We made sure to lock the car doors and walk in a group and the restaurant entrance was behind the main street in the alley way. I could totally feel the tenseness but happily obliged when I saw groups of Middle Eastern families enjoying dinner and sipping tea. I knew dinner was gonna be awesome…always go where the locals are!

    Check out the spread!

     

    Girls dinner date tonight! Kabob platter, borek, muhammara…I’m in heaven!

    A photo posted by Samantha (@ferrarokitchen) on Aug 19, 2015 at 7:47pm PDT

     

    Kanafe: A Middle Eastern dessert with cheese and shredded phyllo

    Everything from kofte to falafel, muhammara and of course hummus was presented family style. We ate, laughed and gossiped but  one of the lasting bites was kanafe~ I haven’t had this since I was little and I almost forgot it existed! A close cousin to baklava, kanafe is a dessert made with shredded phyllo dough, which you can buy at Middle Eastern/Internal stores called “kataif”. It is then layered with cheese (I used strained ricotta and mozzarella), topped with more shredded phyllo and then soaked in a gorgeous aromatic simple syrup. The sweet and slightly savoriness of the cheese is a perfect combination and is fabulous with a cup of tea!

    Kanafe: A Middle Eastern dessert with cheese and shredded phyllo

    Kanafe with Ricotta and Shredded Phyllo

    Samantha Ferraro
    Kanafe is a Middle Eastern dessert that is filled with cheese and and layered with shredded phyllo that is finished with an orange simple syrup.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 30 mins
    Cook Time 40 mins
    Total Time 1 hr 10 mins
    Servings 8
    Calories 392 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1-16 oz package of kataif shredded phyllo
    • 1 stick of unsalted butter melted
    • 1 tsp saffron water optional
    • 8 oz shredded mozzarella
    • 16 oz full fat ricotta cheese drained in colander for at least 30 minutes
    • Chopped pistachios for garnish

    Simple Syrup

    • 2 cups sugar
    • 1 cup water
    • 2 large peels of orange zest
    • 2 large peels of lemon zest
    • 1 cinnamon stick
    • 1 Tb orange blossom water

    Instructions
     

    • First, drain ricotta. This can be done a day ahead if time allows. Place ricotta in a sieve with cheesecloth and over a bowl to allow any excess liquid to drain out, making for a thicker cheese
    • Then, make the simple syrup. In a small pot, add all the simple syrup ingredients and stir together. ring to a gentle boil and allow to cool for about 10 minutes until sugar dissolves and gets a bit thicker like a syrup. Take off heat, remove the aromatics and allow to cool while making the rest of dish.
    • Take the shredded phyllo and pulse in food processor a bit (may have to do this in batches) so the phyllo breaks up a bit. Pour in about half of the melted butter (and optional saffron water) and continue with the rest f the shredded phyllo so butter coats all of the phylllo.
    • Then, take half of phyllo and press into a large buttered dish (I used my tart pan).
    • Add shredded mozzarella and drained ricotta and top with the other half of phyllo, carefully pressing it everything together.
    • Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes until top is golden brown and firm. Once kanafe is done, remove from oven and slowly pour syrup over the top. Allow to sit for at last 10 minutes so syrup can soak in.
    • Garnish with chopped pistachios.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 392kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 13gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.004gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 245mgPotassium: 96mgFiber: 1gSugar: 50gVitamin A: 462IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 274mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know on Instagram!

    Kanafe: A Middle Eastern dessert with cheese and shredded phyllo

    More Baking Recipes

    • Cherry Pistachio Rugelach
    • Spinach and Potato Knish with Caramelized Onions
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    Comments

    1. Rebeccah @ Of Hops and Honey says

      June 5, 2016 at 9:34 am

      YESSSSS. I love love LOVE kanafe, ever since studying abroad in Jordan. (It may actually border on an obsession.) Can’t wait to try making at home!

      Reply
    2. MaZi says

      March 8, 2018 at 2:00 pm

      My favorite Palestinian sweet!

      Reply
    3. Helen says

      January 9, 2022 at 5:03 pm

      Just made this desert. So good. Next time I will make a little more syrup. I also used part skim ricotta, what I had in house. Still came out great. Will make again .

      Reply
      • Samantha says

        January 15, 2022 at 10:40 am

        Thank you for sharing Helen!

        Reply

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