Eid Mubarak, Happy Eid to all my friends in advance, who are celebrating Ramadan, the holy month of fasting and prayers. Ramadan, a month of self-purification, share, care, belief and endurance. While fasting 30 days from dawn to sunset, without consuming drop of water in summer and doing all daily chores are definitely not easy but belief in God gives the strength to endure and purpose to do it. Iftar and suhoor are the after sunset and before sunrise time when the kitchens are filled with aromas and arrays of food are served on table.
These 30 days are the days of culinary awakening, through all the senses around the world. Iftar meals are a time of festivity and celebration with friends and family, for breaking fast together after sunset. Before iftar meal are the busiest time in the kitchen, where classic, ethnic or new recipes are bubbling out of the pot and their aromas are making the place heavenly and blissful.
To celebrate the occasion, I am sharing one of the most amazing middle eastern dessert, eaten during Ramadan called Kunufa. It is known by different names in different places but the taste will for sure takes you to the door to heaven. The flaky crust with the creamy filling with nuts, surely a gastronomical delight that will gratify the palate and the soul.
I tweaked the recipe little from the classic. Instead of using cheese, I gave it a Indian twist by filling instant Rabdi between the crust.
Take my words, it tastes delicious when serve cold. This recipe was one of my bucket list recipe that I really wanted to try and couldn’t find a better occasion to share it.
Eid Mubarak! Happy Ramadan!
- 1 box Kataifi , shredded Filio dough
- 1/2 cup Butter, melted
- 1/4 cup Ghee, melted mixed in butter
- Orange color
- Ghee to grease a baking pan
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1 1/4 cup Water
- 1 tbsp. Lemon Juice
- 1 tbsp. Orange Blossom Water
- 1 tsp. Rose Water
- 2 cups Ricotta Cheese
- 3/4 cup Condensed Milk
- 1 tsp. Cardamom Powder
- 1/2 cup Pistachios Powder
- 1/4 cup Almond, sliced
- Preheat oven at 350F. Grease baking pan with ghee mixed with orange color.
- Cut kataifi dough in to 4 equal part and mix melted butter and ghee in it.
- Mix it with hands until it becomes fluffy with no lumps.
- Make a Cream Filling by mixing ricotta and condensed milk.
- Add cardamom powder and little rose water.
- Mix it well and put it in the refrigerator.
- Make Sugar Syrup with sugar and water.
- Bring to boil and then add lemon juice.
- Let it boil for 10 minutes. Keep aside to cool.
- Now add orange blossom water and rose water.
- Divide kataifi dough in two equal parts.
- Take a greased pan and spread the dough evenly in the center and the corners of the pan.
- Press it down well with the back of the spoon.
- Now spread almond slices all over.
- Then add cream filling over it and spread it evenly over the dough.
- Now layer pistachios powder over the cream filling.
- Mix tsp of orange color in the remaining Kataifi dough.
- Finally spread the remaining kataifi dough evenly all over, press it down gently.
- Add little more melted ghee if the dough is little dry.
- Place it in the preheated oven for almost 40 minutes.
- When the kunafa is golden brown in color, take it out of oven.
- Pour sugar syrup sides and all over, cover and keep aside to cool down.
- Run a knife all over to loosen the sides and turn it out in to a serving tray.
- Garnish it with your preference and enjoy the slice.
- * Increase sugar according to taste.