KATAYEF RECIPES

Steps:

• First, make the syrup. Cook water and sugar in a pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once boiling, add lemon juice and continue to boil the syrup for 12 minutes over medium-low heat. It’s important that you do not stir the syrup once it begins to boiling, as that will turn the syrup cloudy. After 12 minutes have passed, add the orange blossom water or rosewater, and boil for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and wait until it cools completely.
• Dissolve sugar and yeast in ¼ cup of warm water, then sift the flour directly into a large mixing bowl. Next, pour in the remaining water and the yeast mixture, and add salt. Whisk until well blended, and there are no lumps in the batter. Cover the bowl with a clean cloth and store in a warm place for an hour so the batter can rise.
• Lightly grease a heavy-bottomed frying pan then heat it over medium heat. Meanwhile, whisk the batter to blend all the ingredients that have separated. Also, check to see if the batter is too thick, as you may need to add a few tablespoons of water to get the right consistency.
• Pour a 1/4 cup portion of batter into the pan, then spread it into a circle, taking care that you get a pancake 10cm in diameter. Bubbles will appear on its surface as it cooks, but the pancake is done when the top is no longer shiny. Place the pancake on a clean towel cooked side down to cool, and cover it with a clean cloth while you cook the rest of the batter. You can also cook multiple pancakes at the same time.
• Combine all the ingredients for the filling.
• To fill the pancakes, first, lay the pancake cooked side down and place about 1 tbsp of the filling in the center of the pancake. Fold the pancake in half, and pinch the edges to seal. Repeat this step with the remaining pancakes. Arrange the pancakes on a baking tray and cover them with a clean cloth until you are ready to bake them, up to several hours.
• Meanwhile, set the oven to preheat to 180°C, then brush the pancakes on both sides with melted clarified butter.
• If you prefer a softer qatayef, bake in the oven for 15 minutes. In case you'd like your gatayef crunchier, bake for 20 minutes, flipping them over after 10 minutes.
• While still hot, shortly dip each qatayef in syrup. Arrange the still warm qatayef pancakes on a platter and serve with extra syrup on the side.

Steps:

• Mix all stuffing ingredients and set aside.
• Mix smeed, flour, and salt.
• Place warm water in an electric mixing bowl (I use my blender). While mixing on high speed, add the smeed mixture gradually to form a thin pancake mix.
• Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup of water and a dash of sugar. Add to pancake mixture, and mix for 1 more minute. Set aside for 40 minutes, stirring every 7 minutes (so the water won't separate from smeed to avoid a lumpy mixture).
• Add the baking soda and keep stirring. When the dough bubbles, it is ready to be baked.
• Use an electric frying pan set at 450 degrees (I use one of those flat frying pans, for pancakes, but I do believe any nonstick frying pan should work).
• Pour 1/4 cup dough and cook like a pancake, on one side only. Remove from fire when pores form on the surface on each cake. Place the pancakes on a smooth surfaced towel until they cool.
• Fill each pancake with the nut mixture (I place one spoonful of the mixture in the middle of the pancake).
• Fold by pressing edges together to make a semi-circle. Pinch the edges firmly to close. Brush each on both sides with warm butter.
• Place on a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees in a preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until light gold.
• Remove from oven and dip in cold syrup (Thin Attar).
• Makes about 35 pieces. Enjoy!