Knafeh, Palestinian cheese pastry with orange blossom syrup
Crisp golden shredded pastry over a layer of soft, stretchy cheese, soaked in fragrant syrup. A real showstopper.
- Time1 hr 15
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £0.60 a head
- Oven180°C (160°C fan)
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
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Method
- 1
Make the syrup first. Put the 200 g sugar and the water in a small pan and heat gently until the sugar dissolves. Simmer for 8 minutes until slightly sticky. Stir in the lemon juice and orange blossom water, then leave to go completely cold.
8 min - 2
Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Butter a 23 cm round cake tin or ovenproof pan.
- 3
Tip the kataifi into a large bowl. Pull it apart with your fingers until the strands are loose and fluffy, then pour over the melted butter and rub it in well, so every strand is coated.
- 4
Press just over half of the pastry firmly into the base of the tin to make an even layer. Mix the ricotta, mozzarella and 1 tbsp sugar and spread it over the pastry, leaving a small gap at the edge.
- 5
Scatter the rest of the pastry over the cheese and press down firmly with the back of a spoon so it is packed tight.
- 6
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until deep golden and crisp.
38 min 20 s - 7
Run a knife round the edge. Place a plate over the tin and flip it over so the crisp side is on top. Spoon the cold syrup over the hot knafeh straight away. Leave it for 5 minutes, then cut into wedges and serve warm while the cheese is still soft.
5 min
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.