Kunafe Kenafe Knafe Gimzawia Food

KANAFA

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Use a food processor to finely chop the frozen, shredded phyllo dough. The strands should be about the size of a grain of rice. Pour the dough into a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the ricotta, mozzarella, and 1/3 cup sugar.
• Place the butter in a large liquid measuring cup or bowl with a spout. Heat the butter in a microwave until completely melted, and let it sit for several minutes until a thick white foam has formed on top. Clarify the butter by using a spoon to skim off the foam.
• Carefully pour the butter into the bowl of phyllo dough. Avoid pouring in the white milk solids at the bottom of the clarified butter. Use your hands to mix the butter and dough together. Make sure that the butter is absorbed by taking handfuls of the dough and rubbing it between your palms.
• Evenly spread the buttered phyllo dough into a 9x13-inch pan and firmly press it into the bottom and edges. Spread the cheese mixture onto the dough, avoiding the edges of the pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese is slightly golden and the edges of dough are brown and bubbly, 30 to 35 minutes.
• While the kanafa is baking, prepare the syrup. Combine the water and 1/2 cup sugar in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the lemon juice. Simmer, stirring constantly, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is thickened, 5 to 7 minutes. (Do not let the mixture turn golden and caramelize.) Remove from heat and add the rose water; set aside.
• Remove the kanafa from the oven. Place a large platter or baking sheet over the baking dish. Using oven mitts, carefully invert the baking dish onto the platter so the phyllo is on top. Pour the syrup over the kanafa. Cut into pieces and serve while hot.

KUNAFE - KENAFE - KNAFE GIMZAWIA

Steps:

• Combine water, sugar, and kenafe coloring and boil till it becomes syup consistency, let cool.
• Finley shred phyllo dough.
• Melt butter in microwave and mix together with shredded phyllo dough.
• Place in a 9x13 baking sheet and bake at 450° for about 5-10 minutes until dough gets a little crispy. Make sure to stir dough every 2 minutes so that it does not burn on edges.
• Remove a little more than half of the dough from the baking sheet.
• Spread remaining dough evenly and flatly on baking sheet.
• Mix sugar and ricotta cheese together, then place evenly on top layer of phyllo dough.
• Evenly spread remaining phyllo dough over layer of cheese.
• Bake on 425 for 30-40 minutes.
• Remove from oven and pour cooled syrup while kenafe is still hot.
• Decorate with chopped pistachios.

AN ARABIC BREAKFAST

Steps:

• In a small frypan, put enough olive oil to nearly cover the bottom.
• Fry chunks of white cheese until golden on each side (but don't overdo it).
• Put along with oil onto small serving plate.
• Clean the frypan (or use another one) and use it to make Arabic style scrambled eggs.
• Place two tablespoons of olive oil in the pan along with 3 eggs and salt to taste (about 3 pinches).
• Lightly turn it with a fork (Arabic scrambled eggs aren't as scrambled as the 'normal' version) until there is no longer any egg liquid (it should only just be cooked no more).
• Put olives in a serving bowl.
• Put about 1/2 cup of zaatar in a serving bowl.
• Put 1/4 cup olive oil in a serving bowl and serve alongside zaatar.
• Cut tomatoes into wedges.
• Sprinkle small amount of salt over wedges (optional).
• Cut the ends off the cucumbers and slice each into 4 long strips.
• Put tomato wedges and cucumbers onto serving plate.
• Serve labaneh with olive oil drizzled on top.
• Serve mortadella sliced.
• Heat the Arabic bread either by using the stove top (gas ovens) and turning frequently or heating each piece in the microwave for 30 seconds (not the authentic way of doing it!) Make tea in pot as per usual but with the dried sage or mint added.
• Serve in Arabic teacups (usually small glass ones) with between 1-2 teaspoons sugar in each.
• (Note: mint needs less sugar than sage) Serve all of the above.
• The traditional way is to place a large tablecloth on the floor and eat seated on the ground.
• Eat with Arabic bread.