Kunefe

Ingredients

Pastry

• 300 gkadayıf shredded pastry
• 150 gclarified butter, melted

Cheese

• 300 gdil peyniri or unsalted fresh cheese, sliced and soaked

Syrup

• 400 gsugar
• 300 mlwater
• 1 tsplemon juice

To finish

• 50 gground pistachios
• kaymak, optional

Equipment

• small round copper pans

Directions

1. Make the syrup first and cool it completely. Boil the sugar, water and lemon juice for 8 minutes, then let it go cold. Hot künefe into cold syrup, which is the rule for every syrup pastry in the region.
2. Use a cheese that stretches and does not release salt. Chop the kadayıf strands roughly with scissors, then rub the melted clarified butter through them with your hands until every strand glistens.
3. Rub the butter in thoroughly, handful by handful. Dry patches stay pale and chewy while buttered ones go golden.
4. Press half the buttered kadayıf firmly into the base of a small copper pan, compacting it hard. Lay the drained cheese over it in an even layer, leaving a small margin at the edges.
5. Cover with the rest of the kadayıf and press the whole thing down very firmly. A loosely packed künefe falls apart and never develops the crisp shell it is judged on. Set the pan over a low to medium direct heat.
6. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, turning the pan frequently so the base colours evenly, until the underside is deep golden. Slide it out onto a plate, invert it back into the pan, and cook the second side for another 6 to 8 minutes.
7. Pour the cold syrup over the moment it comes off the heat. Scatter ground pistachio over and serve immediately, while the cheese still pulls into strands. It must be eaten within minutes.

Technique

• The cheese pull is the test of a good künefe and it is checked at the table.
• It is served with kaymak or a scoop of ice cream in most Turkish shops.
• The small copper pans conduct heat evenly and are cheap; a small heavy frying pan works.

Substitutions

• Unsalted mozzarella, drained and dried very well.
• Butter in place of clarified butter, accepting more browning.

Variations

• Konafa, the Egyptian tray version with cream.
• Made in one large pan and cut into wedges.
• With a scoop of ice cream, which is standard now.

History

Shredded pastry over stretchy unsalted cheese, claimed by Hatay; Antakya künefe carries a Turkish geographical indication.

Frequently asked questions

What is Kunefe?

Kunefe is a dessert from Turkey: shredded pastry baked over melting cheese, drenched in syrup; served hot. Shredded pastry over stretchy unsalted cheese, claimed by Hatay; Antakya künefe carries a Turkish geographical indication.

How long does Kunefe take to make?

Kunefe takes 20 min of preparation and 20 min of cooking. The recipe makes 2 servings. It is rated medium to make.

What can I substitute in Kunefe?

Yes, within limits. Unsalted mozzarella, drained and dried very well. Butter in place of clarified butter, accepting more browning.

What is the most important thing to get right in Kunefe?

Cover with the rest of the kadayıf and press the whole thing down very firmly. A loosely packed künefe falls apart and never develops the crisp shell it is judged on. Set the pan over a low to medium direct heat.