How is that a Ramadan tradition for a Pakistani-American is kunafa? Well, read on (or skip to the recipe). I used to go to 4-5 different masjids/mosques for Ramadan. The way my father taught me to learn about life and it’s people, and our faith, was to expand our knowledge and go to different mosques (“pakistani mosque” or “arab mosques” back when there was still a lot of separation. When we went to Paterson, NJ mosques (little Middle East), it was tradition to stop at Al Nabalus bakery and get kunafa. This is a huge part of my Ramadan family reduction and I miss the days we had this late at night after the mosque and right after iftari opened back when calories weren’t counted, and life just felt so simple. Recipe will be on my blog. Note: I modified this for those who cannot get sweet cheese… and have a secret ingredient instead. Because we are in COVID times, and cannot get the sweet cheese from the arabic food stores, I had to be creative and the sweetened condensed milk gave me the sweetness I needed. Folks use ricotta and love the texture from that too!
Ingredients
- 3 cups worth shredded Phyllo Dough, broken into 2-3 inch lengths
- 1/4-1/2 tspn orange food coloring, powdered
- 3 tablespoons, melted ghee or butter
- 1/4 cup sweetened Condensed Milk
- 1/3 cup, table Cream
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, 1/2 inch long
- 1/2 tspn Rose Water Essence (optional)
- Crushed pistachio, garnish
Simple Syrup
- 2 Cups of Sugar
- 1 1/4 cup of water
- Squeeze of lemon juice
- 1/2 tspn Rose Water Essence (optional)
Steps:
- In a ziplock bag or bowl, add shredded phyllo dough, 1/4 tspn of food coloring and butter/ghee, allow to mix well
- Combine cheese, sweetened condensed milk, table cream, and 1/2 tspn of rose water (optional), mix well
- Spread butter or ghee over a 8 inch round pan, and put 2/3 of the prepared phyllo dough to TIGHTLY pack into the pan, make sure there are no spaces or holes, you do not want the cheese mixture to go through, as that will impact the time of flipping. When in doubt, add more phyllo dough mixture, and press firmly.
- Add cheese mixture and do NOT allow the cheese mixture to go past the rim, omitting 2 tablespoons of excess liquid that may have formed, allow room between pan and cheese allowing the phyllo dough to provide 1/2 inch barrier
- Optional step: add extra phyllo dough to the top (I like extra and double sided crunch on my Kunafa)
- At 400 Degrees, allow kunafa to cook for 30-40 minutes until cheese is fully spread and the kunafa on top and sides firm up (test with fork)
- Make simple syrup by adding sugar and water until dissolved. After first boil, add lemon juice and continue to boil for 5-8 minutes until thickened. Optional- add in 1/2 tspn of rose water). Allow to cool.
- Remove from oven, and use knife to release the sides, and protecting hands, FLIP the kunafa.
- SERVE Hot, and add as much or as little of your simple syrup (I go with a lot :-)!
As they say in Arabic, Sahtein. صحتين (the arabic version of a blessing and bon appetit mixed together)