An Easy Recipe for Kataïfi: Almond and Walnut Pastry in Syrup (2024)

  • Greek Desserts
  • Desserts
  • Citrus Recipes

By

Nancy Gaifyllia

Nancy Gaifyllia

A resident of Greece, Nancy Gaifyllia is a cook who writes about the country's regional specialties.

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Updated on 06/22/22

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An Easy Recipe for Kataïfi: Almond and Walnut Pastry in Syrup (1)

Prep: 30 mins

Cook: 60 mins

Cool Time: 3 hrs

Total: 4 hrs 30 mins

Servings: 24 servings

Yield: 24 pastries

Alongside baklava, kataïfi is one of the most popular Greek desserts and is beloved in other Balkan countries and Middle Eastern regions as well. The dessert is made with a special pastry dough, also called kataïfi, consisting of delicate, thin strands made out of shredded phyllo dough. Rounded out with a nutty filling, this decadent dessert is as beautiful to look at as it is delicious. Kataïfi dough, similar to angel hair pasta in its appearance, is assembled by stuffing and rolling up nests of dough. Like many Greek dessert recipes, simple syrup is poured over after baking to add a sweet finish but also to preserve its freshness, allowing the pastry to last longer.

When baked, the finished product looks like shredded wheat. Perfectly crunchy, kataïfi makes a great finish to any meal, but also a treat to have during a coffee break or in an elegant teatime display. With today's commercially packaged dough, kataïfi is fairly easy to make as the dough comes as a long strip, about three inches wide, making it easy to fill and roll up.

This kataïfi is a great recipe for beginner bakers, and although complex in look, assembling it is not at all difficult. Kataïfi is delicious as is and doesn't need anything else to be an amazing sweet treat, but many opt to top the pastry with other toppings such as whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, custard, ganache, or fruit preserves.

Ingredients

For the Syrup:

  • 1 1/4 cups water

  • 2 1/2 cups sugar, divided

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

  • 1 thin strip lemon peel

  • 4 whole cloves

  • 1 tablespoon honey

For the Filling:

  • 1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

  • 1 cup almonds, coarsely ground

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

  • 1 large egg white, lightly beaten

  • 1 tablespoon brandy

For the Dough:

  • 1 pound kataïfi dough, defrosted per package instructions

  • 8 ounces (1 cup) unsalted butter, melted

Steps to Make It

Make the Syrup

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Heat the water in a saucepan over low heat. Add 2 cups of sugar and stir to dissolve.

    An Easy Recipe for Kataïfi: Almond and Walnut Pastry in Syrup (3)

  3. Add the lemon juice, lemon peel, and whole cloves and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

    An Easy Recipe for Kataïfi: Almond and Walnut Pastry in Syrup (4)

  4. Stir in the honey. Remove from the heat.

    An Easy Recipe for Kataïfi: Almond and Walnut Pastry in Syrup (5)

  5. Place a fine-mesh colander over a bowl and strain the syrup. Set aside to cool.

    An Easy Recipe for Kataïfi: Almond and Walnut Pastry in Syrup (6)

Make the Filling

  1. In a mixing bowl, combine the walnuts, almonds, cinnamon, ground clove, egg white, brandy, and the remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Stir well with a wooden spoon.

    An Easy Recipe for Kataïfi: Almond and Walnut Pastry in Syrup (7)

Assemble and Bake the Kataïfi

  1. Lay the long strip of thawed dough out on a clean work surface and divide it into 18 to 24 pieces, gently spreading the strands out a bit if they clump together. Each piece will be used to create an individual kataïfi roll. Keep the unused dough covered with a piece of waxed paper topped with a damp towel to keep it from drying out.

    An Easy Recipe for Kataïfi: Almond and Walnut Pastry in Syrup (8)

  2. Preheat the oven to 350 F/175 C. Lightly butter a 9 x 13 baking dish.

    An Easy Recipe for Kataïfi: Almond and Walnut Pastry in Syrup (9)

  3. Brush a strip of dough with melted butter.

    An Easy Recipe for Kataïfi: Almond and Walnut Pastry in Syrup (10)

  4. Place a tablespoon of the filling at one end of the strip and roll it up into a cylinder, tucking in any stray pieces of dough. Carefully roll the pastry tightly so the filling is securely enclosed. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.

    An Easy Recipe for Kataïfi: Almond and Walnut Pastry in Syrup (11)

  5. Place the rolls seam-side down in the prepared baking dish, close together but not squashed, and brush well with butter. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, until golden brown and crispy looking.

    An Easy Recipe for Kataïfi: Almond and Walnut Pastry in Syrup (12)

  6. Remove from the oven, pour the cooled syrup over the pastry, and drape the pan with a clean towel. Let cool about for 3 to 4 hours as it absorbs the syrup.

    An Easy Recipe for Kataïfi: Almond and Walnut Pastry in Syrup (13)

  7. Enjoy.

Make-Ahead Kataïfi

This is also a great make-ahead dessert:

  • Prepare the syrup and assemble the rolls the night before, cover tightly with wrap, and refrigerate without baking.
  • Bake as instructed when you need to and add the cold syrup on top. Expert cooks suggest always pouring cold syrup on hot pastry for best results. Allow it to rest for three to four hours.

Can I substitute the kataïfi dough?

Yes. Although finding it at specialty stores or in the freezer aisle of Middle Eastern markets should be easy, if buying it is difficult, use thawed phyllo dough to replace it. Roll it up tightly and slice it as thinly as possible with a very sharp knife. Although it won't have the same texture or appearance as the original dough, it will still make a beautiful and tasty dessert.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
303Calories
19g Fat
33g Carbs
3g Protein

×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 24
Amount per serving
Calories303
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 19g24%
Saturated Fat 7g36%
Cholesterol 28mg9%
Sodium 111mg5%
Total Carbohydrate 33g12%
Dietary Fiber 1g5%
Total Sugars 22g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 0mg2%
Calcium 28mg2%
Iron 1mg3%
Potassium 82mg2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

  • pastry
  • dessert
  • greek
  • mother's day

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An Easy Recipe for Kataïfi: Almond and Walnut Pastry in Syrup (2024)

FAQs

What is a substitute for kataifi pastry? ›

Can I substitute the kataïfi dough? Yes. Although finding it at specialty stores or in the freezer aisle of Middle Eastern markets should be easy, if buying it is difficult, use thawed phyllo dough to replace it.

Is kataifi pastry the same as filo pastry? ›

No. Kataifi Pastry is a completely different product. Kataifi Pastry starts out as a batter which is poured through fine spouts onto a heated metal plate, where it is briefly dried and cooked. Whereas Fillo Pastry begins as a dough that is stretched, heated and rolled out into fine sheets.

What is kataifi dough made of? ›

Kataifi is one of the most popular Greek desserts and is loved in other Balkan countries and Middle Eastern regions as well. The dessert is made with a special pastry dough, also called kataïfi, consisting of delicate, thin strands made out of shredded phyllo dough.

What is the difference between baklava and kataifi? ›

What is the difference between baklava and kataifi? The difference between baklava and kataifi is that the former is made with sheets of phyllo dough, while the latter is made with shredded phyllo dough. Kataifi is made by shredding phyllo dough into fine, hair-like strands, then rolled up with nuts in the center.

What is the best substitute for two cups of pastry? ›

Substitute Pastry Flour with All-Purpose and Cake Flour

To create the most reliable substitute for pastry flour, combine 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour with 1/2 cup of cake flour for every 1 cup of pastry flour needed.

What can I use instead of pastry? ›

Here are some of the easiest and most flavorful crust substitutions to elevate your pie recipe.
  • Cookie dough. Nicholasbphotography/Getty Images. ...
  • Butter crackers. Touchr/Shutterstock. ...
  • Granola. Lauripatterson/Getty Images. ...
  • Puff pastry. Pinkybird/Getty Images. ...
  • Phyllo dough. ...
  • Rice cereal. ...
  • Brownie batter. ...
  • Shredded coconut.
Aug 20, 2023

Does kataifi need to be refrigerated? ›

Best Ways to Store Kataifi

The cooked and prepared kataifi dessert can be stored for up to one month if kept in the refrigerator. One important point to note is to roll the leftover kataifi together and to keep it in an air-tight plastic container.

What is another name for kataifi? ›

Learn about kataifi, shredded phyllo dough used to make an array of divine pastries. The list of spellings for knafeh (kuh-NAF-ee), shredded phyllo dough, and names seems to go on and on: kataifi, knafeh, kanafe, kenafeh, kunafeh…. Knafeh dough is typically called kataifi dough, which is the Greek iteration of knafeh.

Can you fry kataifi? ›

For best results when frying Kataifi Pastry, use any vegetable, rice bran or even olive oil.

Are kataifi and vermicelli the same thing? ›

Kataifi pastry (also called Kataifi phyllo) is looks like vermicelli or shredded wheat. It's sold in Greek, Turkish and Middle Eastern stores and I even saw it sold at a Loblaws Superstore! Kaitaifi pastry is made by drizzling rows of thin streams of flour and water batter on to a revolving hot platter.

What country is kataifi from? ›

Kataifi is a Greek dessert made of kataifi pastry dough. A filling of nuts, sugar and aromatic spices are rolled and baked in a buttered dough. The dough nests are then drizzled with sugar syrup.

Why is phyllo dough so good? ›

And there are reasons to feel good about phyllo: Because the dough has no trans fat, no saturated fat, no cholesterol and just 160 calories per 5 sheets, it makes the perfect substitute for puff pastry, ready-made piecrusts and refrigerated pie dough.

What is the Greek dessert baklava made of? ›

Baklava is a traditional pastry known for its sweet, rich flavor and flaky texture. It consists of phyllo (or filo) dough, nuts, spices, and a sugary syrup.

Why is baklava so wet? ›

Soggy baklava is often caused by either over-brushing the phyllo with too much butter (just use the amount listed in the recipe), not chilling the syrup (cold syrup hitting the hot baklava helps the steam to evaporate), or storing it tightly sealed and/or refrigerated (you don't want to seal in the moisture).

What is Lebanese baklava made of? ›

History and tradition make baklava a beloved part of the baking and dessert culture we love so much. All baklava has as its foundation two ingredients: nuts, phyllo dough, butter or oil ghee, and simple syrup. From there, the number of styles, shapes, and sizes are tremendous.

What is the best substitute for puff pastry? ›

Phyllo dough can be a great substitute for puff pastry in dishes like spanakopita and baklava [2].

What is a good substitute for filo pastry? ›

You can swap in puff pastry for phyllo dough in a pinch, and the other way around, but don't expect the same results. Here's the best way to use each of these flaky, versatile doughs.

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