Cheese Knafeh with Kataifi

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Pastries doughnuts Medium

Crisp buttery shredded pastry around a stretchy, mild cheese layer, finished with rose-scented syrup and pistachios. This is the coarse (kataifi) style; the fine semolina style is a different version. Makes 10 pieces in about 1 hr 45 min.

Prep 40 min

Cook 35 min

Cooling 30 min

Total 1 hr 45 min

Yield 10 pieces

Ingredients

Adjust yield

pieces

7 oz (200 g)akkawi or other brined white cheese, soaked in cold water 2 hours, water changed several times, then drained
7 oz (200 g)low-moisture mozzarella, shredded
9 oz (250 g)kataifi (shredded phyllo), thawed
⅔ cup (150 g)unsalted butter, melted
1 ¼ cups (250 g)sugar
¾ cup (180 ml)water
2 tsp (10 ml)lemon juice
2 tsp (10 ml)rose water
¼ cup (30 g)pistachios, finely chopped

Fresh ingredient guides

Baking tools for this recipe

Convert to grams Scale it Change the pan

Instructions

Make the syrup first: simmer the sugar, water and lemon juice 8 to 10 minutes until slightly thickened. Stir in the rose water and cool completely.
Heat the oven to 400 F (205 C). Brush a 10 inch (25 cm) round pan with butter.
Pull the kataifi apart into loose strands and chop into short pieces. Toss with the melted butter until coated.
Press two-thirds of the strands firmly into the pan to form a base and a rim.
Mix the drained cheese with the mozzarella and spread over the base, leaving a 1/2 inch border.
Top with the remaining strands, pressing down firmly.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes until deep golden and the cheese is bubbling at the edge.
Run a knife around the edge, flip onto a platter, and spoon the cool syrup over the hot knafeh. Scatter pistachios and serve at once.

Tips

Soak the brined cheese well; it should taste only mildly salty.
Pour cool syrup on hot knafeh for the best crunch.
Press the layers firmly or they separate when flipped.
Good with strong black tea or Arabic coffee.

Made this?

Log it to keep your bakes, ratings and notes together in My Kitchen.

Be the first to share one.

Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make cheese knafeh with kataifi?

Plan on 40 minutes of prep and 35 minutes of cooking, plus 30 minutes to chill. The recipe makes 10 pieces.

How should I store cheese knafeh with kataifi?

Best warm and fresh. Refrigerate up to 2 days and re-warm in a 350 F (175 C) oven for 10 minutes.

Can I make cheese knafeh with kataifi ahead?

It is at its best the day it is made; prepare it a few hours before serving.

A Middle Eastern dessert of melted sweet cheese under a crisp layer of shredded or semolina dough, soaked in sugar syrup. Serve it with strong black tea or Arabic coffee.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 10 servings this recipe makes.

356 Calories / serving

19.4g Fat

39.4g Carbs

6.9g Protein

25.5g Sugar

Whole recipe (10 servings): ~3560 cal · 194g fat · 394g carbs · 69g protein · 255g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.