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Cooking adventures in a small, closet sized, kitchen. - I came to realize that my meals were boring and that I had been eating the same few dishes over and over again for years. It was time for a change! I now spend my free time searching for, creating and trying tasty new recipes in my closet sized kitchen.

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Kanafeh/Künefe (Sweet Cheese Pastry)

[heart_this] · Nov 15, 2013 · 68 Comments

Kanafeh/Künefe (Sweet Cheese Pastry)

A pastry consisting of hot cheese in between layers crispy shredded phyllo dough in a sweet syrup that is common in Greece, Turkey, Israel and many other countries in the area.

A few months ago I got an email inviting me to explore Israel, it’s people and it’s cuisine on a project called Taste of Israel put on by a group called Stand With Us. At first I was a little leery about the offer but after a bit of research it seemed legit and it was an opportunity that I simply could not pass up and so I went! It turned out to be an absolutely amazing experience filled with lots of great people and of course plenty of amazing food! I enjoyed a lot of dishes in Israel and I just had to try making a few of them at home and sharing them with you!

Flat Bread topped with Garlic Butter and Roasted Tomatoes

The adventure started as soon as we got off the plane, after almost 20 hours travel time from Toronto, as we were whisked away to the beautiful Dan Hotel Tev Aviv where after checking in we headed out for dinner at Yaffo Tel Aviv restaurant by Haim Cohen. The meal that we had there was filled with plenty of tasty dishes including a flat bread that was covered in melted garlicky butter and roasted cherry tomatoes but the one dish that really stood out for me was a dessert, the kanafeh.

Kanafeh

I had never heard of kanafeh before but as soon as I heard that it was warm cheese in between two layers of light flaky pastry, I was sold! I mean you really cannot go wrong with cheese and I loved the idea of using it in a dessert! This particular künefe was made with goat cheese and it was topped with a sweet apple sauce and the combination of sweet and savoury was phenomenal; I knew immediately that I would have to make kanafeh when I got home! Kanafeh (aka Kunafeh, aka Künefe, aka…) is a pastry that is common to countries in the Levant region including Turkey, Israel, Greece, etc. and and there are as many different ways of spelling it as there are of making it. It’s commonly made with the shredded phyllo like pastry, with the same name as the final dish, and it is usually filled with a neutral, non-salty, stringy cheese and it is baked until the pastry gets nice and golden brown and crispy and it is then smothered in a simple syrup. (Imagine something like a single layered baklava with a cheese filling instead of nuts.)
Of course the first task that I had before I could make it was finding the pastry which turned out easier than I expected because Greeks use something similar, called kataifi, so I was able to find it next to the phyllo pastry in a local grocery store. Next up was the cheese and different cultures use different cheeses, most of which I had never heard of, but the common properties are that it is neutral and not salty and that it is stringy. As it turns out, as easy substitute is to combine feta, that has been soaked in water to remove the saltiness, and mozzarella.

Haim Cohen

Once I had all of the ingredients it was as easy as coating the pastry in butter, pressing it into a pan and topping it with the cheese and more pastry before baking it until golden brown and crispy. I do not normally think about using cheese in desserts and it’s really a shame since they work so well and this dish is a perfect example with it’s crispy pastry outside and stringy cheese inside all covered in sweet syrup! I will definitely be making this a lot in the days to come!
As it turns out Haim Cohen, the owner of the restaurant is also a judge on the Israeli Top Chef show and he was at the restaurant when we were there so we got to chat with him about food for a while.

Taste of Israel group at Yaffo-Tel Aviv

The fantastic group of people that I traveled with. Jennifer Melo Alice D’Antoni Philis of Allys Kitchen, Amy Huntley of The Idea Room, Heather Thoming of Whipperberry and the amazing people that organized everything!
Stay tuned for more recipes from my adventures in Israel!

Künefe  (Sweet Cheese Pastry)
I could not leave you without some stringy cheese shots!

Kanafeh/Künefe (Sweet Cheese Pastry)
Kanafeh/Künefe (Sweet Cheese Pastry)
In addition to making the standard kanafeh I did make one with goat cheese and topped it with a simple home made apple sauce and it was also amazing!

Kanafeh/Künefe (Sweet Cheese Pastry)

Kanafeh/Künefe (Sweet Cheese Pastry)

Kanafeh/Künefe (Sweet Cheese Pastry)

Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes Total Time: 35 minutes Servings: 12

A pastry consisting of hot cheese in between layers crispy shredded phyllo dough in a sweet syrup that is common in Greece, Turkey, Israel and many other countries in the area.

ingredients
  • 1/2 pound shredded phyllo (called: kataifi dough or kunefe dough or kunafa dough), thawed as directed on package
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 cups mozzarella, shredded
  • 2 cups feta (soaked in water for an hour) or goat cheese, crumbled
  • 1/2 cup simple syrup or 1/4 cup apple and/or pear sauce
directions
  1. Break the pastry apart into one or two inch long pieces, separating the strands. (A few pulses of a food process helps with this.)
  2. Mix the butter into the pastry with your hands in a large bowl until coated and press half of it into the bottom of a greased metal baking pan in a thin layer.
  3. Pulse the cheeses in a food processor until the mixture reaches the consistency of a coarse meal and press it into the dough in the pan.
  4. Press the remaining dough onto the cheese and bake in a preheated 350F/180C oven until lightly golden brown, about 20-30 minutes.
  5. Serve warm covered in syrup or topped with apple and/or pear sauce.
Note: Top make the simple syrup, simmer 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup sugar until the sugar has disolved and let cool.
Nutrition Facts: Calories 280, Fat 18g (Saturated 11g, Trans 0.3g), Cholesterol 57mg, Sodium 489mg, Carbs 20g (Fiber 0.3g, Sugars 9g), Protein 9g

Nutrition by: Nutritional facts powered by Edamam
Similar Recipes:
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Dessert, Food, Greek, Mediterranean, Recipe, Turkish, Vegetarian

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Heather Christo says

    November 15, 2013 at 2:50 pm

    THis is so beautiful and unique- gorgeous Kevin!

    Reply
  2. Aimee @ Simple Bites says

    November 15, 2013 at 3:48 pm

    What a cool recipe, Kevin! Can't wait to try it.

    Reply
  3. Dixya says

    November 15, 2013 at 6:04 pm

    i absolutely love kanafef, I want a slice Kevin.

    Reply
  4. Marian (Sweetopia) says

    November 15, 2013 at 6:14 pm

    How great is that, Kevin! Glad you enjoyed your trip – looking forward to trying out this and more amazing recipes from you!

    Reply
  5. Anonymous says

    November 15, 2013 at 7:09 pm

    This version is known as the Nabulsi Knafeh, and it's my favorite. My mom adds a little food coloring to the shredded phyllo so it comes out bright orange. I've only ever had it with the rose water syrup, so will have to try it out with the apple sauce.

    Reply
  6. Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says

    November 15, 2013 at 8:23 pm

    Holy smokes Keven! What an amazing experience AND amazing dish! Love this!

    Reply
  7. Julie @ Table for Two says

    November 15, 2013 at 9:06 pm

    omg i've never had anything like this before and i'm simply dying to try this!!!

    Reply
  8. Ella-HomeCookingAdventure says

    November 15, 2013 at 9:36 pm

    Oh my.. this is looking gorgeous!!!

    Reply
  9. Mia says

    November 15, 2013 at 9:55 pm

    When you did it with goat cheese, did you use straight goat cheese? I do not like feta and would like to try this but using goat cheese.

    Reply
  10. A SPICY PERSPECTIVE says

    November 15, 2013 at 10:22 pm

    Oh my word!!! I MUST make this immediately!

    Reply
  11. Sara Angel says

    November 15, 2013 at 10:43 pm

    It's well know mainly in the Arabian country: from wikipedia:
    is a dessert specialty of the Levant, especially in Lebanon, Jordan, the Palestinian territories, Syria and northern Egypt. It is a first cousin of the Greek kadaifi and the Turkish künefe and ekmek kadayıfı.

    Reply
    • Zeina says

      September 23, 2021 at 11:02 am

      Sara Angel…. That is absolutely correct

      Reply
  12. kevin says

    November 15, 2013 at 10:48 pm

    Mia: Use 2 cups mozzarella and 2 cups goat cheese and pulse them together in a food processor until them form a 'meal'. Whit both you get the stringiness of mozzarella and the flavour of goat cheese!

    Reply
  13. Pauline says

    November 15, 2013 at 10:49 pm

    Can't wait to try this…… heavenly!

    Reply
  14. Anonymous says

    November 15, 2013 at 11:13 pm

    This looks so bad for you that it HAS to be good. I think it might be great as a dessert for those who don't really like desserts…. yes, I know some people like that.

    Reply
  15. janet @ the taste space says

    November 15, 2013 at 11:48 pm

    Lucky you! Good choice, though, because kunefe was my favourite dish while travelling in Turkey, too. 🙂

    Reply
  16. Anonymous says

    November 16, 2013 at 12:26 am

    I was just talking to my supervisor about kunefe. I've had it at a Turkish restaurant a few times (with tea of course =) ). They serve it with a syrup very similar to the syrup used in baklava and toasted pistachios on times. I tell you, kunefe is absolutely a heavy dessert that is absolutely delish. Usually, if my husband and I are out and know that we are going to have kunefe, we'll share lettuce wraps (or a crepe) at the Vietnamese restaurant in the same strip mall.

    Reply
  17. Angie says

    November 16, 2013 at 1:46 am

    Wow Kevin – this looks absolutely amazing! I love the crispy outside and melted gooey cheesy inside. Yum!

    Reply
  18. Tieghan says

    November 16, 2013 at 3:22 am

    This is so different, Kevin! It looks like my kind of food!

    Reply
  19. Nada says

    November 16, 2013 at 9:04 am

    Kevin, I've been checking your blog for recipes for awhile now, and I love the way it all turns out.You're an amazing cook, and I love those little notes you put at the top, explaining how you got this recipe, and such things. But, I just wanted to tell you that "Kanafeh" is not an Israel dish. It's actually an Arabic dish. 🙂

    Reply
  20. Joanne says

    November 16, 2013 at 12:22 pm

    Oh my gosh, what an amazing experience!! I am so intrigue by the flavors at hand here…it's such an interesting mix of sweet and salty!

    Reply
  21. Ally says

    November 16, 2013 at 1:10 pm

    Kevin!! Thank you sooooooooo much for posting this…I'll be making and sharing, too…love piggybacking on you, my friend…miss you!! ***hugs***

    Reply
  22. Anonymous says

    November 16, 2013 at 3:32 pm

    Hi Kevin, your recipes and food photography are just so mouthwatering. I love Kanafeh; it's my favorite Arabic dessert by far. I'm originally from Egypt living in Canada and I grew up with Kanafeh present in every special occasion & especially during the month of Ramadan. The Egyptian version is made with a cream filling though, that is absolutely out of this world, I highly recommend that you give it a shot someday. This particular kanafeh that you've made is called kanafeh Nabluseya which is native to the Palestinian city of Nablus, but is equally popular in Jordan, Lebanon & Syria. The Israelis might have adapted as their own but the origin is definitely Arabic, so credit should be given were credit is due.

    Reply
  23. Anonymous says

    November 16, 2013 at 4:00 pm

    Wow looks amazing!! Kevin, your trip to Israel sounds so tasty and the people sound so warm, can't wait to hear more about your time in that small but amazing country. It's so fun to see the diverse cultures in Israel through their yummy food!

    Reply
  24. bellini says

    November 17, 2013 at 9:48 am

    What an amazing opportunity Kevin I look forward to hearing more.

    Reply
  25. Jae says

    November 18, 2013 at 12:53 pm

    My mother is from Ramallah, Jordan, and this was my favorite growing up. When my grandmother used to make it, she would also use mozzarella as a substitute along with another cheese from an Arabic store (don't know the name). The dessert was also a light pink color when she would serve it and it was always very syrupy – almost honey like.

    Reply
  26. Little Z. says

    November 18, 2013 at 3:05 pm

    I've made this before, and I used Ricotta. It's already a little sweet, and it holds up nicely with the mozzarella. Mmmmmmm… I might just have to make this again… my mouth is watering for it now! 🙂

    Reply
  27. vanillasugarblog says

    November 21, 2013 at 12:03 am

    I've never heard of this.
    What a fun trip, lucky you.
    I love learning about the food history of cultures.
    I can't wait to read more. Is there more? lol

    Reply
  28. Katie says

    January 10, 2014 at 7:05 pm

    What an amazing trip and experience and this bread… I want some asap!

    Reply
  29. Amy {The Idea Room} says

    February 18, 2014 at 9:02 pm

    And now I want to go back! I can't believe I didn't see this before! So fun to have met you on this amazing trip!

    Reply
  30. kevin says

    February 23, 2014 at 10:14 pm

    Amy {The Idea Room}: It was great meeting you as well! I had such a great time there!

    Reply
  31. Carmen says

    March 2, 2014 at 5:41 pm

    I absolutely love knafeh. It's been my favourite sweet ever since I tried it for the first time in the city of Nablus, in 2006.

    I bumped into your blog by pure chance and the pictures made me keep the tab open and go on reading. As glad as I am that you enjoyed your visit to Israel, I felt a bit confused about Palestine not being mentioned even once (or the Palestinian Territories or the West Bank, if you prefer so) even when the knafeh na'me is the most famous palestinian dessert.

    I'm not talking about politics here, just cooking and people´s heritage, and knafeh is definitely an arabic delicacy.

    Reply
  32. Heather Hartlaub says

    March 18, 2014 at 7:54 pm

    Knafeh was definitely one of my favorites while studying in Jordan. I'm so glad to have finally found a recipe so I can make it at home!

    Just to second the numerous comments – knafeh is a traditional Arab dish from Jordan, Syria, Palestine, etc. and was adopted by the Israelis, like many other Arab dishes.

    I'm glad that the word is getting out!

    Reply
  33. Ella H says

    June 4, 2014 at 6:13 pm

    This is by far the most famous Palestinian dessert of all time. No credit to be given to Israel here. This is not a politics forum, but it's enough these people lost their home. It's not fair to give credit to their occupier.

    Reply
  34. sultana trabulsi says

    August 21, 2014 at 3:02 pm

    A correction : kunafa is a pure arabic , ottoman cuisine

    Reply
  35. Anonymous says

    September 1, 2014 at 7:14 am

    Couldnt help but notice that in your tags there is no arabic tag, despite there being a turkish, and greek tag. Smells like ignorance

    Reply
  36. Anonymous says

    September 21, 2014 at 6:41 am

    Kunafa is not from Israel but a Palestinian dessert

    Reply
  37. Anonymous says

    October 11, 2014 at 7:46 pm

    I had this on a trip to Istanbul last year and loved it so much without even knowing what it was called, and I was sad because I thought I'd never be able to eat it again. So thank you so much for posting the recipe!

    Reply
  38. PalestinianFood Wiki says

    November 9, 2014 at 12:26 pm

    Thanks for the great recipe. Kunefe is actually a Palestinian dessert, to be more precise it is called "Nabulsi Kunefe " in reference to Nablus which is a Palestinian city.

    Reply
  39. Anonymous says

    December 19, 2014 at 4:29 pm

    Perfect, another thing the Israelis have stolen from the Palestinians and called their own. For the record, this is a PALESTINIAN sweet!

    Reply
  40. mamoun says

    December 4, 2015 at 9:40 pm

    I just wanted to tell you that "Kanafeh" is not an Israel dish. It's actually an Arabic dish. it is Ramadan's dish

    Reply
  41. Anonymous says

    May 23, 2016 at 8:38 am

    This is the most famous Palestinian sweet in history, even donkeys know that! The pathetic attempt from Israelis who try to label all Palestinian dishes as Israeli products are simply a desperate attempt at creating fake identity based on a fake story. If you want to taste the real Kunafa (Arabic word …not Hebrew) then head to Nablus which is the largest Palestinian town in the West Bank. Be mindful of the Israeli terrorists who might try to burn your children alive!.

    Reply
  42. anonymous says

    August 24, 2016 at 7:38 pm

    This dish comes from Nablus in the West Bank. I am dismayed that the author could not give credit to the Palestinians. They stole their houses and land and now are trying to steal their food and culture?

    Reply
  43. Anonymous says

    August 27, 2016 at 7:33 pm

    fact check Kevin

    Reply
  44. John Gentry says

    February 5, 2017 at 7:51 pm

    So are so many different recipes. When I traveled to Jordan and other places this dish was done different but had allot of the same ingredients.

    Reply
  45. Ruby says

    February 9, 2017 at 7:44 am

    Very delicious! I like it! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  46. Anonymous says

    March 30, 2017 at 6:28 am

    Kevin, I love the looks of this recipe, which is also new to me. You are apolitical, a food blogger/recipe sharer/wealth of cooking information. That these "followers" would go political against you and Israel is unthinkable. Kevin shared his experience and love for a dish new to him. Take in in the way it was given, and stop looking for something not there. Kevin was introduced to the dish in an Israeli restaurant. He stated it "is a pastry that is common to countries in the Levant region including Turkey, Israel, Greece, etc. and and there are as many different ways of spelling it as there are of making it." Grow up and stop making problems where they do not exist. Hugs, Kevin, Suzie.

    Reply
  47. Unknown says

    June 22, 2017 at 1:33 pm

    Nothing called Israel, it is palestine. This is a PALESTINIAN sweet!

    Reply
  48. Anonymous says

    June 27, 2017 at 6:58 am

    This is a PALESTINIAN dish and not mentioning that is disgraceful.

    Reply
  49. Jo says

    September 23, 2017 at 2:50 pm

    I'm green with envy that you got to go to Israel and try the foods in situ made as they should be so you knew what you were aiming for.

    Reply
  50. Anonymous says

    November 5, 2017 at 5:13 pm

    Does Arab "sweet Cheese" work alone, or should I mix it with another cheese?

    Reply
  51. Anonymous says

    January 1, 2018 at 4:10 am

    For the record…this dish is Palestinian. Please give credit where it’s due.

    Reply
  52. Anonymous says

    March 5, 2018 at 9:29 am

    Thankfully, I am not the only one who feels compelled to correct your mistake of crediting kanafeh to Israel without once mentioning Palestine. I guess nothing else could be expected from group called ‘stand with us.’ Thanks for supporting ignorance, half truths and propaganda.

    Reply
  53. Muna Darwish says

    July 15, 2018 at 2:52 pm

    Dear Mr Kevin,
    Your Israeli hosts missed a very important detail. Kunfeh has been made in Palestine, Lebanon, Syria and Turkey for hundreds of years. For the purposes of academic honesty, this information should have been mentioned.

    Reply
    • Alison says

      April 23, 2021 at 7:50 pm

      Absolutely.

      Reply
  54. Jackie says

    November 6, 2018 at 5:21 pm

    Kevin!
    This is a very informational and enjoyable post. Not to mention, the recipe looks incredible. Thanks for making my afternoon!
    Jackie in the Northern Rockies

    Reply
  55. Cath says

    November 7, 2018 at 2:32 pm

    Sounds like you had an amazing trip to Israel. This recipe sounds delicious and is will be easy to make. Looking forward to more of your recipes!

    Reply
  56. FARIDA BANU says

    November 8, 2018 at 6:46 am

    Very delicious! fantastic recipe. Nice photos.

    Reply
  57. FARIDA BANU says

    November 8, 2018 at 7:12 am

    Looks Delicious!

    Reply
  58. Peace says

    March 19, 2019 at 5:01 pm

    It’s called appropriation; Like everything else, Kenafeh is a Palestinian dessert, but hey Israel does not have a food of it’s own, they had to steal someone else’s, just like they stole land, homes, traditions, etc, but who is counting.

    Reply
    • Alison says

      April 23, 2021 at 7:52 pm

      Taking land has clearly not satisfied their hunger. Watch out world!

      Reply
  59. Nick says

    June 4, 2019 at 11:46 am

    Love lebanese knafeh!

    Reply
  60. Farhat says

    November 24, 2020 at 1:22 pm

    So yummy! It’s looking amazing, resembles with the dessert vermicelli, used to make on the occasion of Eid, perhaps it has a different taste but loved it.
    Farhat… https://www.bakingnfrosting.com/?m=1

    Reply
  61. Samar m says

    February 1, 2021 at 12:14 pm

    Kunafa is a very delicious Arabic pastry well known in palestine ,jordan, Syria an Lebanon one should definitely try it . I love it !!!

    Reply
  62. Maylien Swenerton says

    April 23, 2021 at 5:28 pm

    When I make this I flavor the simple syrup with both rosewater and orange flower water. I used sliced fresh mozzarella, well blotted as well as a cheese called “Sweet Cheese” I got at my local Mediterranean store run by a Lebanese woman.

    Reply
  63. Alison says

    April 23, 2021 at 7:48 pm

    This is cultural appropriation at its worst! This dessert is iconically Palestinian. To be precise, it is from Nablus. The word ‘knafeh’ is an Arab word and even a perfunctory search would have revealed these facts to you.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. 21 Addictive Arabic Treats and Desserts That Will Make You an Instant Fan - blogygold says:
    March 1, 2020 at 2:46 pm

    […] that is common in Greece, Turkey, Israel and many other countries in the area.Get the recipe: Kanafeh (Sweet Cheese Pastry)Photographer: Kevin Lynch2 of […]

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  2. 15 Arabic Desserts Recipes To Celebrate UAE National Day | TastedRecipes says:
    April 14, 2021 at 3:21 am

    […] 8. Kanafeh […]

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