Knafeh with Melted Cheese and Pistachios
Crisp, golden shredded pastry over a layer of soft, stretchy melted cheese, soaked in orange blossom syrup and scattered with pistachios. Served warm, it's the Levant's most famous sweet.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Make the syrup
In a small pot, boil the sugar and water over medium-high heat for about 8 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice and , then let it cool completely.
- 250 g sugar
- 200 ml water
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp
✅ Done when: syrup looks clear and lightly thickened
Prepare the pastry
Heat the oven to 190 °C (375 °F). Pull the apart with your fingers, cut it into 2–3 cm pieces, and mix well with the melted butter so every strand is coated.
- 400 g pastry
- 150 g melted butter or ghee
✅ Done when: all the strands look glossy and evenly buttered
Make the base
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Add the cheese
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Bake
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Syrup and serve
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Make the syrup
In a small pot, boil the sugar and water over medium-high heat for about 8 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice and , then let it cool completely.
- 250 g sugar
- 200 ml water
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp
✅ Done when: syrup looks clear and lightly thickened
Prepare the pastry
Heat the oven to 190 °C (375 °F). Pull the apart with your fingers, cut it into 2–3 cm pieces, and mix well with the melted butter so every strand is coated.
- 400 g pastry
- 150 g melted butter or ghee
✅ Done when: all the strands look glossy and evenly buttered
Make the base
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Add the cheese
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Bake
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Syrup and serve
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
The Story Behind the Dish
Knafeh is one of the oldest sweets of the Arab world, mentioned in medieval cookbooks. The city of Nablus is famous for its cheese-filled version, and in Lebanon knafeh is a classic breakfast, often eaten tucked into a sesame bread called ka'ak.
Sweet shops make it in giant round trays and cut warm slices to order, stretching the melted cheese for every customer.
⭐ Why It's Famous
It's the most loved dessert across Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan and Syria, especially during Ramadan.
💡 Fun Fact
In 2009, bakers in Nablus made a knafeh more than 70 metres long, setting a world record.
The Levant (Nablus, Palestine; beloved in Lebanon)
32.22°N, 35.25°E
Related recipes
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!