Knafeh holds so many memories. 😁
This past summer we went back to Amman for the first time in 6 SIX years. It feels like a lifetime. And in some ways it really is. We were so blessed to be able to visit and see family we hadn’t seen in a long time. We got to spend so much quality time with so many people.
But . . . let’s be real. We all LOVE to eat. And so we did just that. We ate so much amazing food. By far, my favorite, was going to the Balad and getting Knafeh. Habiba is known to have the best knafeh and it really never disappointed. It’s a little hole in the wall shop in the midst of the chaotic farmers market and local souk. It’s tucked in behind a little book stand. And lemme tell you, half the enjoyment comes from the experience.
Since we’re being real, NO Knafeh will ever compare, but when a craving hits you just gotta make it. This is my absolute favorite way to make Knafeh, and it has yet to fail me. I hope you’ll recreate this and enjoy it with your family and make it an experience of your own.
PrintKnafeh
Crispy shredded filo dough and shredded gooey cheese soaked in a sweet syrup and topped with pistachios
- Prep Time: 25 Minutes
- Cook Time: 15 Minutes
- Total Time: 40 Minutes
- Yield: 12-16 1x
- Category: Desserts
Ingredients
1 lb Shredded Filo Dough
3/4 tbsp Knafeh Dye
1 cup Butter, melted
1 lb Sweet Cheese
1 lb Fresh Mozzarella Cheese
4 oz Ishta Cream, or make your own HERE
1 tbsp Ghee
Pistachios, for garnish
Simple Syrup for Serving, Recipe in Halawit Jibn Recipe
Instructions
Melt your butter and set it aside. I like to do this in a clear container. The milk proteins will settle at the bottom. We only want to use the yellow part (fat) so the knafeh is crispy.
Chop your shredded filo dough into 1 inch pieces. Separate the strands and place into a bowl. Mix in the knafeh dye powder and distribute evenly.
Add the melted butter and mix with your hands until all the dough is coated in butter and evenly colored. Set aside.
Roughly break up your cheeses and chop on a food processor. You can also grate them.
To assemble, brush the bottom of your standard sheet pan with some ghee. Add 3/4 of the shredded filo dough and spread evenly. Cover with a sheet of parchment or plastic wrap and place another sheet pan on top. Press firmly with a lot of pressure to compact it down.
Remove the sheet pan and parchment paper and then evenly spread your cheese. Repeat the compacting process. Evenly spread the istha on the compacted cheese. Spread the remaining filo dough on top and compact one last time.
Bake at 450 F for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges to loosen the melted cheese. Flip onto another sheet pan. Bake for another 5-7 minutes until the top is crisp and the cheese is melted.
Top with chopped pistachios and serve with simple syrup. Enjoy!
Notes
The Simple Syrup Recipe is the same as the one here.
You can use the ishta recipe here instead of buying prepackaged one. Only use half the quantity.
Make sure to coat the sheet pan with ghee so the knafeh doesn’t stick. Don’t use the leftover white part of the butter!
You can soak the whole knafeh in room temp simple syrup as soon as it comes out of the oven. I choose not to so everyone can dictate how sweet they want their slice.
Make sure the syrup is room temp and not hot, otherwise your knafeh will get soggy.
Reheat at 400 in for 3 minutes in the airfryer or for 30 seconds in the microwave. The airfryer makes it crispy again.
Keywords: knafeh, dessert, arabic, simple syrup
Hanan
thanks for the recipe! looks great! what kind of cheese is sweet cheese?
Nur Ashour
I just buy it from my local middle eastern market!
Azhar
Kunafa is so intimidating to make because so many people have different opinions on it, concerning taste and what kind of cheese is used. But this right here… THIS right here was amazing. My husband LOVES kunafa and loved this so much! He said it taste like kunafa we buy from the arabi store! So this recipe literally made us save our money and cure our random cravings because now we can just make it at home and not have to be lazy to go to the store!
★★★★★
Ashe Amer
Hands down thee best Knafe recipe you will try and make. My husband is Palestinian and this is one of his favorite desserts and one of the first things I tried cooking. All of the recipes are amazing but if you are looking for an easy Knafe recipe that tastes authentic this is the one to try.
★★★★★
Lama
Made this for my family today and everyone loved it! Super good , and nur’s directions are so easy to follow, so you literally can’t mess it up! Delicious!!!!
★★★★★
Samar
The absolute best knafeh recipe. So picky with recipes , but Nur never disappoints. A huge crowd pleaser! Make this ASAP!
★★★★★