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Kunāfah consists of two crunchy layers of shredded and buttered kataifi or knefe dough, filled with a luscious cheese cream that's often flavored with orange zest and cardamom, then drenched in a sugar syrup infused with lemon juice and orange blossom water.
Turkish künefe is traditionally made with Hatay, Urfa, or Antep cheese. It is usually topped with pistachios and is best served warm. Elegant and amazingly simple to make, this dessert is nothing short of what cheese-filled pastry dreams are made of.
This traditional Middle Eastern dessert is often enjoyed on Iftar (a fast-breaking meal) during the holy month of Ramadan. The dish is made with thin sheets of phyllo dough that are wrapped into small elongated rolls while the center is filled with ashta—Levantine version of clotted cream.
The rolls are then fried and doused in a thick sugar syrup that is often flavored with orange blossom and rose water. These crispy rolls are best served freshly prepared and are usually sprinkled with ground pistachios. Znoud el sit, with slightly different names, can be found in numerous countries, including Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq, while its name translates as lady’s upper arms—supposedly because the round, elongated shape of the pastry resembles lady’s arms.
Ashta, also known as kashta or qashta, is a variety of clotted cream mostly associated with Arab and Levantine countries. Traditionally, it is made with lightly sweetened full-fat milk and lemon juice which are slowly simmered until thick, often with the addition of orange blossom and rose water.
Modern variations sometimes avoid the lengthy procedure and thicken the milk with cornstarch or crumbled bread. Although ashta can be enjoyed as a dessert on its own, often accompanied by fruit, honey, or nuts, it is also commonly incorporated into various Middle Eastern treats such as kunāfah or qatayef.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Ma'moul bil jibn is a delicious treat made from fine dough filled with a mixture of akkawi cheese and grated mozzarella, giving it a rich flavor and a smooth texture. It is shaped into small discs and baked until golden brown, then topped with powdered sugar, and sometimes garnished with crushed pistachios for added flavor.
Mamounia is a traditional semolina dessert that resembles a thick porridge. It is made with semolina, butter, and sugar and is typically served warm for breakfast or dessert. The texture is creamy, and it can be flavored with rose water and orange blossom water and garnished with toppings like cinnamon, toasted pine nuts, pistachios, almonds, and rose petals.
Mamounia is especially popular in Aleppo and is cherished for its comforting and rich taste. It is typically served with string cheese, cream, and pita bread.
Warbat is a cream or custard filled pastry that is soaked in sugar syrup and decorated with pistachios, almonds, sweet cheese, or walnuts. It is usually prepared in a triangular shape. Although this sweet treat is originally from Jordan, its varieties can be found throughout the Middle East.
The flavors of warbat are very sweet, so it is recommended to pair it with a cup of strong Arabic coffee. Sweet pastries are common throughout the Middle East and are especially popular during festive times and holidays, such as Ramadan.
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Faysalieh is triangle-shaped baklava combining a nut filling and an outer shell that is made from thin threads of kataifi (knefe) dough. The pastry is typically filled with pistachios, but some varieties replace the nut filling with cream.
These triangular pockets are baked and then doused in sugar syrup, but should always remain crispy. They are typically associated with Lebanon.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
This baklava variety consists of chopped or ground nuts that are placed between two layers of shredded or ground kataifi (knefe) dough. The nut filling typically includes pistachios, cashews, or pine nuts, and the whole pastry is doused in sweet syrup and results in soft and moist baklava.
Basma is always served well-chilled, cut into squares, and decorated with grounds nuts. Apart from Lebanon, this baklava variety is also common in Palestine, Syria, and Jordan.
Mehalabiya is a creamy Arabian dessert, in many ways similar to the French blancmange. It is made with a mixture of milk and sugar, cooked and thickened with rice flour or cornstarch, and usually flavored with orange blossom or rose water.
While hot, it is distributed in smaller molds, left to set, and it is then served cold. This simple and satisfying dessert is eaten in slightly different forms across the Arabian Peninsula, Middle East, and North Africa. Depending on the region, it can be garnished with typical local ingredients such as pistachios, almonds, shredded coconut, cinnamon, or raisins.
VARIATIONS OF Mahalabiyeh
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Ballourieh baklava consists of a pistachio filling that is placed between two layers of shredded kataifi dough—similar to the one used in kunāfah. This baklava variety is lightly baked because it needs to retain its typical white color.
When baked, it is doused in syrup and left to set, and it is then traditionally served cut into large squares. Although it is believed to have been invented in Aleppo, ballourieh baklava is commonly found in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, and Jordan.
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