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Lebanese Knafe Na'ama Recipe
Recipe Categories: Dessert
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Kanafeh (Arabic: كنافة), also spelled knafeh, kunafeh or kunafah, is an Arabic sweet made of very fine vermicelli-like pastry. It is sometimes known as shredded phyllo. It consists of two layers of the shredded phyllo with a cheesy cream filling. It is traditionally served warm with a drizzle of simple syrup. Ingredients 3 cups shredded kataifi dough 1 cup plain panko bread crumbs 1/2 cup Dede's simply syrup 1 cup clarified butter 2 cups fresh mozzarella or akawi cheese 2 cups milk 1/3 cup farina Directions Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Soak the mozzarella in a bowl of water for about 4 hours. In a food processor, add the kataifi noodles and process until very fine into small grain size pieces, pour into a bowl. Add bread crumbs, butter and syrup and combine well. Press the dough into the bottom of a 10 inch pan and press down very well. Remove cheese from bowl and tap dry with a paper towel. Put mozzarella in food processor and blend until the cheese if very fine, pour into a bowl. In a small pot heat milk and then add farina, cook for about 2 minutes while stirring. Pour the milk over the cheese and combine well. Pour cheese mixture over dough and place in the oven, cook for about 40 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before flipping it over onto a nice plate. Decorate with ground pistachio and serve warm with simple syrup.

Lebanese Knafe Na'ama Recipe

Total Time:
Prep Time:
Cook Time:
Yield: 6
Level: Easy

Ingredients

  • 3 cups shredded kataifi dough
  • 1 cup plain panko bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup Dede's simple syrup
  • 1 cup clarified butter
  • 2 cups fresh mozzarella or akawi cheese
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1/3 cup farina

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Soak the mozzarella in a bowl of water for about 4 hours. In a food processor, add the kataifi noodles and process until very fine into small grain size pieces, pour into a bowl. Add bread crumbs, butter and syrup and combine well. Press the dough into the bottom of a 10 inch pan and press down very well. Remove cheese from bowl and tap dry with a paper towel. Put mozzarella in food processor and blend until the cheese if very fine, pour into a bowl. In a small pot heat milk and then add farina, cook for about 2 minutes while stirring. Pour the milk over the cheese and combine well. Pour cheese mixture over dough and place in the oven, cook for about 40 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before flipping it over onto a nice plate. Decorate with ground pistachio and serve warm with simple syrup.
Lebanese Knafe Na'ama Recipe
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Ingredients

  • 3 cups shredded kataifi dough
  • 1 cup plain panko bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup Dede's simple syrup
  • 1 cup clarified butter
  • 2 cups fresh mozzarella or akawi cheese
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1/3 cup farina

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Soak the mozzarella in a bowl of water for about 4 hours. In a food processor, add the kataifi noodles and process until very fine into small grain size pieces, pour into a bowl. Add bread crumbs, butter and syrup and combine well. Press the dough into the bottom of a 10 inch pan and press down very well. Remove cheese from bowl and tap dry with a paper towel. Put mozzarella in food processor and blend until the cheese if very fine, pour into a bowl. In a small pot heat milk and then add farina, cook for about 2 minutes while stirring. Pour the milk over the cheese and combine well. Pour cheese mixture over dough and place in the oven, cook for about 40 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before flipping it over onto a nice plate. Decorate with ground pistachio and serve warm with simple syrup.


Kanafeh (Arabic: كنافة), also spelled knafeh, kunafeh or kunafah, is an Arabic sweet made of very fine vermicelli-like pastry. It is sometimes known as shredded phyllo. It consists of two layers of the shredded phyllo with a cheesy cream filling. It is traditionally served warm with a drizzle of simple syrup.
if you use ackawi cheese, just soak it for 2 hours before using it :) Just try this recipe and I'm sure your friend will be impressed :)
By: dedemed
Thanks for posting this recipe. I've yet to make it but will do so soon. Although i have a question about the akawi cheese. if i can find this type of cheese does it also need to be soaked, and if so is soaking it over night ok or only 4 hours? I've a Lebanese friend who is adamant that i will not be able to make good Kanafeh and i'd love to prove him wrong using your recipe. Cheers
By: Ixiant
you can make it thick or thin, either way it will be absorbed.
By: dedemed
yeah, let me know how you like it :)
By: dedemed
I agree
By: dedemed
coming soon.
By: dedemed
Is the syrup a little too thick? It's supposed to soak it up right away isn't it?
By: AnnetteTalas
I was thinking to myself "what the hell is cut-eye-fee dough", then i realised you were saying Kataifi but just in an english way i guess lol. I can't wait to try some of your recipes, starting with this one!
By: AnnetteTalas
Kanafeh fi Ka3ek (Kanafeh in Sesame Bread) is one of the best deserts I have ever had! Highly reccomend it.
By: tkavil
Dede can you please make a video showing us how to make burma w pistachios??? TY!
By: Nettles27
yes you can eat this with a sesame pita bread, it is a little bit hard but it is eaten with the sesame bread as well :)
By: dedemed
hiiii dede! how are u?? i was just wondering if u eat this recipe with a certain type of bread?! my husband is telling me he eats it with bread but i just dont know what hes talking about lol! he said its called ka3ki or something lol, maybe u can help me out with that??? i'd reallllly appreciate it :)! i hope i hear from u soon! thanks you salam
By: mizzshars
you are so welcome, I am so glad that you liked it. Mansaf recipe is coming, I'm learning it from my Jordanian friend :)
By: dedemed
Ever since my month traveling the Middle East, I have been hellbent on finding a good kanafeh recipe. This was definitely the best one in which I have experimented. Great call on the ackawi cheese; I tried other recipes with Nabulsi cheese, and it didn't turn out quite as well. Now to find a suitable mansaf recipe....
By: aspectra
thank you for your support, also please check out my site for other great recipes :)
By: dedemed
I'm so glad for this recipe. My husband is Jordanian and kept asking me to make knafe with smead. I searched for a recipe and could not find one until I happened to check your site one more time. I made it tonight - I had Ackawi cheese, ghee, farina, and everything to make it just right. Thank you for all of the time you take to create the videos and for the awesome recipes! You are my lifesaver in my Arab household!
By: zeldazen
all of the directions are on my site, check it out :) Farina is a bit more coarse than semolina :)
By: dedemed
all of the measurements are on my site and nicely written out for all to enjoy :)
By: dedemed
Decent recipe but..... The most important thing.....you left out the measurements!!!! It doesn't matter how delicious they look.... recipes are no good without them....
By: cher128bx
is farina the same as semolina and you didn't mention how many ounces of cheese you used. Thank you for your response.
By: cher128bx
Ms Nalini it is a type of cream of wheat.
By: dedemed
what is farina? where it is available? can somebody tell me/
By: MsNalini2010
i love all Knafe :)
By: dedemed
dede knafeh Nabelsiah na3meh or kheshneh is no doubt the best
By: hufmancode
yes you can use regular plain bread crumb and unsalted butter to make this ;) 1 lb of butter is 16 ounces.
By: dedemed

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