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Qatayef (Levantine Sweet Filled Semolina Pancakes)

Qatayef (or katayef) is a dessert made with crêpes stuffed with pistachio cream, typical of the month of Ramadan in the Arab countries of the Middle East.

Prep Time
1 hr 30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Resting Time
4 hrs
Total Time
2 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 40 pieces
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Middle Eastern , Syrian

Ingredients

For the dough
  • 1¼ cup flour
  • ⅓ cup extra-fine semolina
  • 1½ cup whole milk (or more if necessary)
  • 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 tablespoons caster sugar
For the cream
  • 1 cup ricotta (or mascarpone)
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • ¾ cup whole milk
  • 2 teaspoons extra-fine semolina
  • 3 tablespoons orange blossom water (or rose water)
  • ½ cup chopped pistachios (or finely crushed)
For the syrup
  • 1 cup caster sugar
  • 1½ cup water
  • 3 tablespoons orange blossom water (or rose water)
  • a few drops lemon juice
Equipment
  • Stand mixer

Instructions

Dough
    Cup of Yum
  1. Dilute the yeast in half of the milk, warmed at 95 F (36°C).
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk all the ingredients together: flour, semolina, remainder of the milk, sugar and yeast diluted in the milk.
  3. Cover the bowl with a cloth and let stand for 1 hour at room temperature and away from drafts.
  4. Heat a pan over medium heat.
  5. Add some batter without spreading out. The goal is to obtain pancakes and cook on one side only until they turn golden.
  6. Do not place the pancakes on top of each other while they are still hot. And do not cover them right away either. Set aside.
Cream
  1. Heat the milk, heavy cream and semolina.
  2. Stir constantly until obtaining a thick cream.
  3. Cover with plastic wrap on the surface of the cream and set aside in the refrigerator.
  4. When the cream has completely cooled, whisk in ricotta or mascarpone. Set aside.
Syrup
  1. In a saucepan, heat the sugar, water and orange blossom water. Bring to a boil and boil for several minutes until the syrup thickens. It must not be colored. Add the lemon.
Assembly
  1. In the center of a small pancake, place a tablespoon of cream. Fold the crepe in half and pinch to seal the edges but only to two-thirds, in order to get a cone shape.
  2. Roll the top of the cone in the pistachios.
  3. Renew the operation until all the pancakes are used.
  4. Refrigerate for 4 hours.
  5. Drizzle with syrup when serving.