Warbaat Bil Ashta (Cream Filled Fillo)

Ingredients

• 1 package, thawedfillo pastry
• 226 gbutter, melted
• to garnishpistachios
• 360 ml (1½ cups)full-fat milk
• about 85 g (½ cup)semolina
• about 67 g (⅓ cup), more or less to tastesugar
• 5 ml (1 tsp)orange blossom water

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the filling

   Begin by preparing the cream filling.

2. 2

   Warm the semolina

   Put the semolina in a medium saucepan and stir over the heat for about 4 seconds, until warmed.

3. 3

   Add the milk

   Gradually pour in the milk, stirring as you do so.

4. 4

   Thicken the cream

   Reduce the heat to medium and continue stirring. Once the cream has thickened, stir in the sugar and orange blossom water.

5. 5

   Cool the filling

   Turn off the heat, transfer the filling to a bowl and leave it to cool.

6. 6

   Heat the oven

   Preheat the oven to 204°C (400°F).

7. 7

   Keep fillo covered

   Unwrap the fillo pastry, keeping the sheets you are not using covered with a clean towel so they do not dry out.

8. 8

   Layer the sheets

   Lay one sheet on your work surface and brush it with melted butter. Repeat with 10 sheets in total.

9. 9

   Leave the top dry

   Do not brush butter over the last sheet.

10. 10

    Cut into squares

    Cut the layered pastry into 3-inch (about 7.5 cm) squares.

11. 11

    Add the filling

    Put some of the cooled cream filling in each square.

12. 12

    Fold into triangles

    Fold each square over to form a triangle.

13. 13

    Arrange on a tray

    Place the filled triangles on a baking sheet.

14. 14

    Bake until golden

    Bake for 15–20 minutes, or until the pastry is golden.

15. 15

    Add the syrup

    Remove the pastries from the oven and pour over some syrup.

16. 16

    Let syrup absorb

    Leave the pastries until the syrup has been absorbed.

17. 17

    Garnish and serve

    Garnish with pistachios and enjoy.

What is warbaat bil ashta?

Warbaat bil ashta is a Middle Eastern sweet made from crisp pastry folded around a thick cream filling; warbaat refers to the folded pastry, while ashta is the creamy centre. It is commonly served as a dessert or with coffee.

This version uses semolina to thicken milk, with orange blossom water for fragrance. Layering the fillo gives the pastries their delicate, buttery crunch.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 1120 calories, 14g protein, 105g carbs, 72g fat.

The fillo, semolina and sugar provide most of the carbohydrates, while the butter is the main source of fat. Milk contributes some protein as well as fat; serve a pastry with fresh fruit or a lighter meal if you want a more balanced plate.

The semolina cream

Warm semolina: stir it briefly in the saucepan before adding the milk, as directed. Pour the milk in gradually while stirring to help the mixture thicken evenly.

Flavouring: add the sugar and orange blossom water once the cream has thickened. Cool the filling before shaping the pastries so it is easier to handle.

Handling fillo pastry

Keep it covered: fillo dries quickly when exposed to air, so cover the unused sheets with a clean towel as you work.

Butter the layers: brush each of the first 10 sheets with melted butter, leaving the top sheet unbuttered as specified. Work gently to avoid tearing the thin pastry.

Folding and filling

Even squares: cut the layered pastry into roughly 7.5 cm squares to make pieces that fold consistently.

Neat triangles: add the cream filling, then fold each square into a triangle. Avoid overfilling so the edges can meet and the filling stays inside.

How to tell they are done

Colour: bake at 204°C for 15–20 minutes, checking towards the end of the range. The pastries are ready when the fillo is golden.

Syrup: pour it over the pastries after baking and let it absorb before serving. The recipe does not specify a quantity or give a syrup recipe.

Serving ideas

Finish: scatter chopped pistachios over the syrup-coated pastries for a nutty contrast to the cream filling.

Serve them as a dessert or alongside coffee or tea. They are at their crispest soon after baking, once the syrup has had time to soak in.

Recipe notes & tips

• Keep the unused fillo sheets covered with a clean towel while you assemble the pastries.
• Stir continuously as you add the milk to the semolina.
• Let the filling cool before placing it on the pastry.
• Brush the first 10 fillo sheets with butter, but leave the last sheet unbuttered.
• Check the pastries at 15 minutes and continue baking until golden if needed.
• Let the syrup absorb before adding the pistachios and serving.

Variations

• More floral: add a little extra orange blossom water to the filling to taste.
• Nut topping: use finely chopped pistachios for an even coating.
• Less sweet: reduce the sugar in the filling to suit your taste.
• Smaller pastries: cut smaller squares and divide the filling between them.
• Serve plain: omit the syrup for a less sticky finish, though this differs from the method.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Dry fillo: cover unused sheets with a clean towel while assembling.
• Lumpy filling: add the milk gradually and keep stirring as it goes in.
• Warm filling: cool the cream before filling the pastry so it is easier to fold.
• Overfilled squares: use a modest amount of cream so the pastry can close into a triangle.
• Pale pastry: bake until the fillo is golden, allowing up to 20 minutes.
• Soggy finish: pour on the syrup after baking and give it time to absorb before serving.

How to store

Keep leftovers covered in the fridge and eat within 2–3 days. Reheat briefly in an oven until warmed through; the pastry may not be as crisp after storage.

Frequently asked questions