Golden Shredded Pastry Stuffed with Pistachios (Konafa)

Prep. 15 mins

Cooking 10 mins

Serving 4

Middle Eastern

INGREDIENTS Measurements

1/2 kg (1 lb) konafa (shredded pastry)

1/2 cup melted, clarified butter, plus more for greasing pan

2 cups coarsely chopped pistachios

2 1/2 cups Sugar Syrup (See recipe, page 12)

Place konafa in a large bowl and gently separate strands with fingers.
Grease a round 45cm (18in) slab cake pan with clarified butter. Add half of the konafa and press into a compact, even layer about 1cm (⅜in) thick. Drizzle half the clarified butter evenly over top.
In a large bowl, mix pistachios with ½ cup of the Sugar Syrup.
Spread pistachio mixture evenly over konafa in pan. Top with remaining konafa, spreading it evenly. Drizzle remaining butter over top, and press down gently.
Place slab cake pan over medium heat and cook, rotating often for even cooking, for 10 minutes or until golden and crusty on the bottom. Pour off excess clarified butter and reserve it to cook the other side.
Invert onto a plate, then slip back into the slab cake pan. Drizzle the reserved clarified butter over top . Return to medium heat and cook for 10 minutes more, or until golden and crusty on the bottom.
Pour remaining 1½ cups syrup over konafa. Cut into wedges and serve.

Konafa, Kanafeh, Kataifi: Light batter made with flour and water, then drizzled through a special tube perforated with tiny holes onto a hot plate, forming a soft fine vermicelli.
A slab cake pan is commonly used to prepare Arabian sweets, a regular pan can be used instead and work the quantity accordingly.