Kataifi is one of the most popular Greek desserts and is loved in other Balkan countries and Middle Eastern regions as well. The dessert is made with a special pastry dough, also called kataïfi, consisting of delicate, thin strands made out of shredded phyllo dough. Rounded out with a nutty filling, this decadent dessert is as beautiful to look at as it is delicious.
The Greek Deli has made below an easy to follow Kataifi recipe for you to recreate this traditional sweet delight at home from scratch.
So go ahead, give this traditional Kataifi recipe a try and amaze your friends and family!
Ingredients
To make the kataifi
- 450g kataifi dough
- 250g walnuts, roughly chopped
- 1 tsp ground cinammon
- a pinch ground clove
- 250g butter
To make the syrup
- 450g sugar (16 0z.)
- 330g water (12 oz.)
- peel of 1 lemon
- 1 cinnamon stick
Instructions
- For this kataifi recipie, start by preparing the syrup first Add all the ingredients for the syrup into a small pot and then bring to the boil. Once the sugar has dissolved, the syrup is ready. Leave this to the side to cool completely.
- Next you will prepare the filling for the Kataifi. In a blender add the walnuts, ground clove and cinnamon; pulse until the walnuts are roughly chopped but not too much so that it becomes powdery. Feel free to add pistachios and almonds to the nut mix.
- Melt the butter and coat the bottom and sides of a 26-28cm diameter baking pan.
- Unroll the Kataifi dough from the plastic sleeve. Work the dough with your hands, tearing apart the shreds and gently spreading the strands out a bit if they clump together, in order to get fluffy. Cover the Kataifi dough with a slightly damp towel.
- Take one piece of the kataifi dough, and spread it on a working surface or on your palm. Drizzle with melted butter and place 1 teaspoon of the filling at one end. Roll it up tightly, folding inwards the sides, to form a small cylinder. Place the kataifi roll in the pan and brush with melted butter, using the cooking brush to shape it a little bit. Repeat with the rest of the kataifi dough and filling. Place the kataifi rolls the one next to the other, leaving no gaps between them and drizzle with a little bit more butter.
- Bake the kataifi in preheated oven at 170-180C for about 1 hour (on the middle rack), until nicely coloured and crispy.
- As soon as you turn the kataifi out of the oven, ladle slowly the 3/4 of the cold syrup over the hot kataifi, enabling each ladle to be absorbed. Cover the pan with a towel and set aside for 10 minutes. Ladle the rest of the syrup over the kataifi and wait until absorbed.
- Serve this delicious kataifi dessert on its own or why not enjoy with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream.
The Greek Deli
Visit our dedicated e-shop and check out our plethora of delicious Greek food items available both for cooking as well as immediate consumption. The Greek Deli stocks artisanal products, including Greek juices, tsoureki, egg dyes, olive oils, wines, cheeses, and mezedes. In addition, ready meals (such as pastitsio and gemista), sweets (such as baklava and kourabiedes), and Greek coffee (Loumidis) can be found in our online shop. We even stock beloved Greek chocolates and cookies. Furthermore, brands such as Lacta, Ion, Sokofreta, and Gemista cookies, as well as an impressive selection of Greek wines. You can purchase and customise our unique Greek gift boxes, with your favourite products or pre-made. One box includes extra virgin olive oil, two bottles of wine and two jars of olive paste. Along with roasted peppers, honey, chilies, and balsamic vinegar. Perfect for sending the best of Greek tastes to a distant beloved!).
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