1 pound phyllo dough, finely shredded into ½ inch pieces (Kataifi)
1 ¼ cups ghee, melted, additional for greasing
¾ pound fresh stringy pizza mozzarella, shredded
⅔ cup ricotta cheese
Syrup
2 ½ cups granulated sugar
1 ¼ cups water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons rose water
1 teaspoon orange blossom water
Toppings
Chopped pistachios
Special Equipment:
10-inch cake pan
Steps
Base
Make the phyllo base
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 10-inch cake pan with ghee.
In a bowl, mix together shredded phyllo dough and ghee until well combined.
In the cake pan, transfer half of the phyllo mixture, spreading it evenly over the base. Using the bottom of a glass, firmly press down on the phyllo mixture packing it in as tightly as possible to create 1 even, firm layer.
In a bowl, combine mozzarella and ricotta, then stir together. Top phyllo base with cheese mixture spreading it evenly, and leaving a 1-inch border of phyllo.
Next, spread remaining phyllo dough evenly over the cheese. Use the bottom of a glass to again press down on the phyllo to pack it down.
Bake for 40 minutes until a rich golden brown.
Assemble by removing Knafeh from oven, and pour a third of the syrup over top. Flip pan upside down onto a serving platter, and pour remaining syrup over top.
Garnish with chopped pistachios. Enjoy! :)
Syrup
In a saucepan, add sugar, water, and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat, and stir in rose water and orange blossom water. Allow to cool slightly.
