Recipe: Knafe, a Lebanese pastry (2)

Here are two for you. I hope these are helpful.

Knafe, a Lebanese pastry
A traditional recipe

1 package frozen phyllo dough
225 g (1/2 lb.) butter, melted
1 kg (2 lbs.) ricotta cheese
125 ml (1/2 c.) pine nuts
750 ml (3 c.) sugar
5 ml (1 tsp.) lemon juice

Shred the phyllo dough into a bowl until completely defrosted. As you shred the dough, gradually add in the melted butter to prevent the dough from sticking together.

Divide the shredded dough into two separate portions.

Spread one half of the dough in a well-buttered pan, arranging it evenly without compressing it.

Form the ricotta cheese it into round flat patty shapes. Lay them on top of the prepared dough in the pan. Once the dough is completely covered by a layer of ricotta, evenly distribute the second half of the dough on top.

Place the pan in the middle of a preheated 180 C (350 F) oven and bake for approximately 45 minutes, or until nicely browned. Remove the knafe from the oven and carefully flip it onto a larger pan, so that the bottom is now on top. Return to the oven and continue baking until this side is also nicely browned.

Meanwhile make the syrup. In a saucepan, combine the 750 ml (3 c.) sugar with 375 ml (1 c.) water. Place over high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves, and bring to a boil. Once it is boiling, add the teaspoon of fresh lemon juice and continue boiling for several minutes to thicken the syrup slightly. Let cool.

Serve the knafe with the pine nuts and the syrup.

KNAFI

1 package of shredded Fillo dough
1/2 pound of butter melted
2 lbs Ricotta cheese
1/2 cup pine nuts
3 cups sugar
1 tsp. lemon juice (fresh)

First step is to defrost the Fillo dough. Do this by shredding the fillo in a bowl continuously till completelly defrosted.

Once this occurs, you start adding the butter while continuously shredding the dough (this is done, so that dough does not stick together).

When this process is complete and the dough is shredded thoroughly, seperate the dough into two equal portions.

In a well buttered pan, spread out the dough thoroughly, but do not compress. Once the dough is spread evenly, start preparing the Ricotta cheese. The process is to make patties, similar to hamburger patties, but with the cheese.

Lay the cheese patties onto the prepared dough in the pan.

Once the layer of Ricotta cheese is completely covering the dough, lay the second half of the dough unto the cheese so that it is evenly distrubuted.

Preheat the oven to 350 F, once preheated place the pan in the middle for approxiametly 45 minutes. What you need to look for, is that the dough browns.

Once this occurs, you will need a larger pan in which you will flip the Knafe so the the bottom is on top and vice versa.

Then bake again till the browning occurs on the adjacent side. Once browned on both sides, the Knafe is finished.

The last step is to top the Knafe with the pine nuts and the sweet syrup and enjoy!!!

Sweet Syrup

In a pot, combine 3 cups of sugar with 1 1/2 cups of water. Mix and heat over stove till boiling process. Once boiling add a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice and boil for a few minutes more for thickening process. Let cool and use over Knafe once done baking.