Knafe and Ricotta cheese

Submitted By: Marwa El Odessi - Canada

Arabic Cuisine

Kanafeh originated in the Palestinian city of Nablus in the modern-day West Bank, where it is filled with Nabulsi cheese. The knafe recipe this time was filled with ricotta cheese and nuts : (raisins-cinnamon-sugar-Hazelnut-almonds-pistachios)

TIMING

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SERVES : [ 0 ] People

INGREDIENTS

1 package of shredded Fillo dough
1/2 pound of butter melted
2lbs Ricotta cheese
1/2 cup pine nuts and collective nuts and raisins
3 cups sugar
1 tsp. lemon juice (fresh)

PREPARATION

First step is to defrost the Fillo dough. Do this by shredding the fillo in a bowl continuously till completelly defrosted.
Once this occurs, you start adding the butter while continuously shredding the dough (this is done, so that dough does not stick together).
When this process is complete and the dough is shredded thoroughly, seperate the dough into two equal portions.
In a well buttered pan, spread out the dough thoroughly, but do not compress. Once the dough is spread evenly, start preparing the ---Ricotta cheese. The process is to make patties, similar to hamburger patties, but with the cheese.
Lay the cheese patties onto the prepared dough in the pan.
Once the layer of Ricotta cheese is completely covering the dough, lay the second half of the dough unto the cheese so that it is evenly distrubuted.
Preheat the oven to 350 F, once preheated place the pan in the middle for approxiametly 45 minutes. What you need to look for, is that the dough browns.
Once this occurs, you will need a larger pan in which you will flip the Knafe so the the bottom is on top and vice versa.
Then bake again till the browning occurs on the adjacent side. Once browned on both sides, the Knafe is finished.
The last step is to top the Knafe with the pine nuts and the sweet syrup and enjoy!!! <>
Sweet Syrup: In a pot, combine 3 cups of sugar with 1 1/2 cups of water. Mix and heat over stove till boiling process. Once boiling add a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice and boil for a few minutes more for thickening process. Let cool and use over Knafe once done baking