Knafeh bil Jibneh

La storia di questo piatto

Knafeh bil jibneh is the Levant's great sweet of the street and the feast table, spoken of with pride in Nablus and across the Palestinian, Lebanese and Syrian cities where its name is carried like a family surname. Golden threads of kataifi cradle white cheese, and orange blossom water rises from it like a memory of courtyards in spring.

Ingredienti

• 250 g Kataifi pastry (shredded phyllo)
• 200 g White jibneh cheese (Akkawi or desalted Nabulsi; alternatively well-drained fresh ricotta)
• 125 g Clarified butter
• 40 g Acacia honey
• 1 tablespoon Orange blossom water
• 1 tablespoon Fresh lemon juice
• 50 g Sugar
• 100 ml Water
• 30 g Coarsely chopped pistachios
• 1 g Fine salt (optional, only with ricotta)

Preparazione

1. Prepare in advance, the evening before: if using a salty cheese like Akkawi or Nabulsi, soak it in cold water for 3-4 hours, changing the water 2-3 times (if using ricotta, drain it in a sieve for the same time). This time runs in parallel and is not part of the active time indicated.
2. Make the syrup: bring the water and sugar to a boil, then add the lemon juice. Simmer gently for 5 minutes, until the liquid becomes slightly syrupy. Off the heat, stir in the honey and orange blossom water. Let it cool completely (at least 30-40 minutes while you prepare the dessert, or refrigerate it from the night before): the syrup must be poured cold over the freshly baked dessert, as the temperature contrast keeps the crust crisp.
3. Preheat the oven to 180°C static. Melt the clarified butter over low heat and keep it lukewarm. Coarsely cut the kataifi if too long, then fluff it with your fingers in a large bowl, removing any lumps. Pour in about 90 g of melted butter and massage the strands until they are all well coated: this step ensures browning and crispness even inside. With the remaining butter (about 35 g), generously brush the bottom and sides of a 22-24 cm round baking tin, setting aside about 10 g for the surface.
4. Squeeze the desalted cheese well (or mix the well-drained ricotta with 1 g of fine salt) and crumble it. Spread half of the buttered kataifi over the bottom of the tin, pressing with your hands to create an even, compact layer. Distribute the cheese up to the edges, pressing with your palm, then cover with the remaining kataifi and press firmly. Brush the surface with the 10 g of butter set aside.
5. Bake in the centre of the preheated oven at 180°C for 25-30 minutes, until the edges are golden and the surface has an amber colour. Remove and let rest for 3-5 minutes, then run a thin knife along the edges to loosen the dessert. Place a serving plate wider than the tin on top and flip decisively: the crispiest, most golden layer ends up on top. If more colour is needed, give it 1-2 minutes under the grill after flipping, checking constantly. Immediately pour the cold syrup over the still-warm dessert.
6. Sprinkle the inverted knafeh right away with the coarsely chopped pistachios. Serve without delay: the first bite, with the crisp crust and stretchy cheese inside, is the best moment of this dessert.