Κατεΐφι (Μαγειρεύω Κυπριακά 2015). © Μουσείο Κυπριακών Τροφίμων και Διατροφής.
A syrupy sweet made with shredded filo pastry dough, almonds and cinnamon. A popular dessert of Middle Eastern origin, incorporated into Cypriot cuisine since many years.
Name - Recipe
Κανταΐφι. A syrupy sweet made with shredded filo pastry dough, almonds and cinnamon.
ETYM. Kanafeh, Arabic: kunāfah, Turkish: künefe, Greek: κα(ν)ταΐφι, Cypriot: κατεΐφι.
500 g kataifi - shredded filo pastry dough
1 glass of vegetable shortening (or butter)
2 glasses of coarsely chopped almonds
2-3 tablespoons of sugar
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
For the syrup:
3 glasses of sugar
2½ glasses of water
2-3 pieces of cinnamon (stick)
A few drops of lemon juice
First prepare the syrup. Put all the ingredients in a small saucepan and mix. Boil the syrup and after it boils for 2 minutes, remove it from the heat and leave it aside to cool down. In a bowl, mix the almonds with the sugar and cinnamon. Melt the shortening (or butter) over heat. Roll out the kataifi well and pour the shortening (or butter) over it. Stir well to combine it all over with the butter. Spread half of the kataifi filo pastry in a pie dish, and top with the almond mixture. Top with the remaining kataifi filo pastry. Bake in a moderate oven for 35-45 minutes until golden brown. Once the kataifi is out of the oven, slowly pour the cold syrup over it. Serve once it cools down. (Andreas Christodoulou, Cooking Cypriot food 2012-2013)
Boiling.
Baking in the oven.
Additional information and bibliography
Recording: Andreas Christodoulou (12 years old, student of the Ypsonas High School), narrated by Andri Christodoulou (40 years old, place of residence: Ypsonas). See Cyprus Food and Nutrition Museum (2014); Cooking Cypriot food 2012-2013 (ed. Petroula Hadjittofi), unpublished data.
Petroula Hadjittofi
Κατεΐφι άψητο (Μαγειρεύω Κυπριακά 2015). Πηγή: Στάλω Λαζάρου.
Το σιρόπι ετοιμάζεται νωρίς, για να προστεθεί στο κατεϊφι μόλις ψηθεί. Πηγή: Χρυσήλια Φιλιαστίδη.
Κατεΐφι ψημένο και σιροπιασμένο (Μαγειρεύω Κυπριακά 2015). Πηγή: Στάλω Λαζάρου.
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