Knafeh

Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Lightly grease a 9-10 inch round baking pan and set it aside.

Desalt and prepare the cheese: slice or cube the Akkawi cheese and soak it in several changes of cold Water for 1–3 hours to remove excess salt; drain and pat dry. Combine the drained Akkawi with shredded Low-moisture mozzarella and press or knead briefly to form a uniform, slightly sticky cheese mixture; squeeze out any excess liquid before assembly.

Make the syrup: in a small saucepan combine Granulated sugar and Water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Let it simmer for 6–8 minutes until slightly thickened, then add a splash of Lemon juice to brighten the syrup. Remove from heat and, once the syrup has cooled a little, stir in Orange blossom water and Rose water. Set the syrup aside to reach room temperature (the syrup should be cool or lukewarm when poured over the hot pastry).

Prepare the pastry: loosen the strands of Kataifi pastry with your fingers so they’re separated and airy. Gently melt the Ghee (clarified butter) and stir in a drop or two of Orange food coloring until evenly tinted (optional, for the classic orange hue). Pour the melted, colored ghee over the kataifi and toss with your hands until the strands are evenly coated.

Assemble the knafeh: press about half of the buttered kataifi evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan to form a compact base. Spread the cheese mixture evenly over this base, leaving a small border if you like, then cover with the remaining kataifi and press down firmly to compact the layers.

Bake the knafeh on the middle rack for 30–40 minutes, or until the top is deeply golden and crisp and the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Once the knafeh is out of the oven, immediately and evenly pour the room-temperature syrup over the hot pastry so it soaks in. Sprinkle chopped Pistachios over the top for color and crunch.

Allow the knafeh to rest for 8–12 minutes to absorb the syrup, then slice into wedges and serve warm so you can enjoy the gooey, stretchy cheese and crisp pastry.