Homemade Kataifi recipe!

Ingredients

• 450 g (16 oz)kataifi pastry
• 250 g (9 oz)walnuts, roughly chopped
• 1 tspground cinnamon
• a pinchground cloves
• 250 g (9 oz)cow’s milk butter
• 450 g (16 oz)sugar
• 330 g (12 oz)water
• peel of 1lemon
• 1cinnamon stick
• 1 full spoonvanilla ice cream, to serve

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the syrup

   Put the sugar, water, lemon peel and cinnamon stick in a small pan and bring to the boil. Once the sugar has dissolved, take the syrup off the heat and leave it to cool completely.

2. 2

   Prepare the filling

   Pulse the walnuts with the ground cloves and cinnamon until roughly chopped, not powdered. Pistachios or almonds can also be used in kataifi, if you wish.

3. 3

   Butter the pan

   Melt the butter and brush it over the base and sides of a baking pan about 26–28 cm in diameter.

4. 4

   Loosen the pastry

   Remove the kataifi pastry from its plastic sleeve. Gently separate the strands by hand, teasing apart any clumps so the pastry is fluffy, then cover it with a slightly damp towel.

5. 5

   Shape the rolls

   Take a piece of pastry and spread it on your work surface or palm. Drizzle it with melted butter and put 1 teaspoon of filling at one end. Roll it tightly into a small cylinder, folding the sides in as you go. Set it in the pan and brush it with butter, using the brush to neaten its shape. Repeat with the remaining pastry and filling, arranging the rolls snugly with no gaps, then drizzle over a little more butter.

6. 6

   Bake until crisp

   Bake on the middle rack in an oven preheated to 170–180°C for about 1 hour, until the kataifi is well coloured and crisp.

7. 7

   Soak with syrup

   As soon as the kataifi comes out of the oven, slowly ladle over three-quarters of the cold syrup, allowing each ladleful to absorb. Cover the pan with a towel and leave for 10 minutes, then add the rest of the syrup and wait for it to be absorbed.

8. 8

   Serve with ice cream

   Serve the kataifi with a full spoon of vanilla ice cream.

What is kataifi?

Kataifi is a traditional Greek sweet made with fine, thread-like pastry, a spiced nut filling and syrup. It is also enjoyed in Turkish and Middle Eastern cooking, and is often compared with baklava for its nuts and sweetness.

This version wraps roughly chopped walnuts in buttered strands and finishes them with lemon-scented syrup. Baking the rolls before soaking helps preserve their crisp texture.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 297 calories, 3g protein, 33g carbs, 18g fat.

The walnuts and butter provide most of the fat, while the sugar syrup and pastry supply much of the carbohydrate. Walnuts contribute some protein, but this is primarily a sweet dessert rather than a protein-focused dish; serve a piece with fruit or after a meal with a protein-rich main.

The pastry and filling

Kataifi pastry: Separate the strands gently so they are loose and fluffy rather than packed into clumps. Keep the unused pastry under a slightly damp towel while you work.

Walnuts: Pulse them with the spices only until roughly chopped. A coarse filling gives the rolls texture and is less likely to turn into a paste.

Rolling neat cylinders

Butter: Drizzle the pastry with melted butter before adding the filling, then fold in the sides as you roll. This helps contain the walnuts and gives the strands a buttery finish.

Filling: Use 1 teaspoon at one end of each piece of pastry, as directed. Arrange each finished roll close against the next so the rolls sit snugly in the pan.

Crispness and colour

Oven: Bake the rolls on the middle rack at 170–180°C for about 1 hour. Look for an even golden colour and crisp pastry rather than relying on time alone.

Syrup: The recipe pours cold syrup over the kataifi as soon as it comes out of the oven. Add it gradually so it has time to soak in between ladlefuls.

The lemon syrup

Dissolve: Bring the syrup ingredients to the boil and take the pan off the heat once the sugar has dissolved. Let it cool completely before using it on the hot pastry.

Finish: Pour on three-quarters first, cover the pan with a towel for 10 minutes, then add the rest. This staged approach gives the syrup time to be absorbed.

Serving kataifi

Vanilla ice cream is the suggested accompaniment, bringing a cool contrast to the syrupy, crisp rolls. Serve the kataifi after the syrup has soaked in.

The recipe makes 22 servings, so it works well as a sweet to share after a meal or alongside coffee.

Recipe notes & tips

• Keep the kataifi pastry covered with a slightly damp towel while shaping the rolls.
• Pulse the walnuts briefly so they remain roughly chopped rather than becoming powder.
• Brush the pan base and sides thoroughly to help prevent sticking.
• Set the rolls snugly in the pan, with no gaps between them.
• Let each ladleful of syrup absorb before adding the next.

Variations

• Pistachio filling: Replace some or all of the walnuts with pistachios.
• Almond filling: Use almonds in place of some or all of the walnuts.
• Mixed nuts: Combine walnuts with pistachios or almonds for a varied filling.
• More citrus: Add extra lemon peel to the syrup for a stronger lemon aroma.
• Spice balance: Adjust the cinnamon and cloves to suit your preferred flavour.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Powdered walnuts: Pulse in short bursts and stop while the pieces are still coarse.
• Clumped pastry: Gently tease apart the strands before shaping each roll.
• Dry pastry while working: Keep the waiting kataifi under a slightly damp towel.
• Loose rolls: Fold the sides in and roll the pastry tightly around the filling.
• Uneven syrup soaking: Pour it gradually and allow each ladleful to absorb.
• Pale pastry: Bake until the rolls are coloured and crisp, checking towards the end of the stated baking time.

How to store

Keep leftover kataifi covered in the fridge and use within 3–4 days. Reheat in a low oven until warmed through; the pastry may be less crisp after soaking and storage.

Frequently asked questions