Kunafa

Before you start

• an oven, and a 20cm tin
• kataifi from the freezer aisle of a Middle Eastern grocer
• the syrup has to be made first and go on completely cold

Ingredients

Serves 4 · dimmer marks are storecupboard

• 150gkataifi dough — shredded filo, frozen — thawed in the fridge
• 150mlcream
• 300mlmilk or water
• 40gfine semolina
• 60gbutter
• 70gsugar
• 15gground pistachio nuts
• 1 tsplemon and orange blossom water

Method

8 steps

1. simmer · 9m

   Syrup first: sugar with half its weight in water and a good squeeze of lemon, brought up and simmered five minutes, orange blossom water stirred in off the heat. The lemon is what keeps it from crystallising in the pan.

2. rest · 40m walk away

   Left out to go completely cold, which is not optional.

3. simmer · 11m

   Ashta: milk, cream and semolina whisked together while everything is still cold, then brought up slowly and stirred without stopping until it thickens to a spreadable custard. Semolina tipped into hot milk lumps instantly and never recovers.

4. rest · 20m walk away

   Cooled with a plate pressed onto the surface so it cannot skin over.

5. chop · 8m

   Kataifi pulled apart with your fingers into short loose strands — properly separated, or it bakes into a mat — then the melted butter worked all the way through until every strand is slick.

6. fold · 6m

   Half of it pressed hard into a buttered tin, ashta spread to within a centimetre of the edge, the rest over the top and pressed down firmly.

7. roast · 40m walk away

   At 180°C until the top is deep gold and the edges have pulled away from the sides of the tin. Pale kunafa is limp in the middle.

8. finish · 5m

   Turned out upside down while it is still hot and the cold syrup poured over at once so it hisses, then pistachios over. Eaten warm, within the hour.