Recipes from the Holy Land

I enjoyed every morsel of Palestinian food wherever it crossed my path.  I didn't expect it in the middle of Be'er Sheva, Israel.  But, it was explained to me that I was in an Arab marketplace.  And, there was this delicious dessert just waiting for me.  Yep, as I said, there us no bad Palestinian food.

1 lb shredded Filo Dough 3/4 Tbs Knafeh dye 1 cup butter, melted 1 lb Sweet Cheese

4 oz Ishta cream 1 tsp Ghee Pistachios for garnish Syrup for serving

         
This is honestly the only recipe that I have ever written down that I simply could never try making.  I don't know what so many of the ingredients even are, let alone where to get them.

Melt your butter and set it aside.  It should separate with the milk proteins on the bottom and the yellow fat part on top.  You will only want to use the yellow fat.

Chop up your filo dough into 1 inch pieces.  Separate the dough strands and place them in a bowl.  Mix in the kanafeh dye powder thoroughly.  Add in the melted butter, mixing it completely with your fingers.  Set it all aside.

Break up your cheese and then chop it up in a food processor.  I guess you could also grate them, but not in my kitchen.

Brush the bottom of your cooking pan with ghee.  Add 3/4 of the shredded filo dough and spread it out evenly.  Cover it up with parchment paper and then press it really flat with another cooking pan.  Remove the second pan and the parchment paper.  Spread the rest of the filo dough on top and compact it once again.

Evenly spread your cheese around the cooking pan and then compress it.  Evenly spread the ishta over the compacted cheese.  Spread the last of the filo dough on top and compress things one last time.

Bake if all up at 450 F for 15 minutes.  Run you knife around the edge to loosen the melted cheese.  Flip your creation onto another cooking pan and bake it for another 5-7 minutes.  The top should be crisp and the cheese melted.

Top it off with chopped pistachios and serve it up with a simple syrup.