(Above: I first had this dessert in the village of Oia (pronounced ee-ah) on the island of Santorini in Greece.)
I made this for our “Big Fat Greek Mother’s Day Party” and it is now one of my favorite desserts.
The sweet custard mixed with the rough strings of shredded filo dough and fluffy whipped cream create a warm comforting feeling inside, while at the same time exciting the tongue.
In Santorini I had a version of this that was an individual serving shaped like a croissant and it didn’t include whipped cream. Still I was happy to find this version in the Greek cookbook I bought, which has the same flavors.
This recipe sounds more complicated than it is. It’s pretty easy to make and not too time-consuming.
Ekmek Kataifi (Greek Dessert)
Ingredients
- Kataifi pastry (About 7 ounces. You can buy this frozen at a greek specialty store.)
- Whipped Cream
- A few chopped pistachio nuts
- For the syrup:
- Sugar (3/4 cup)
- Water (2/3 cup)
- Cinnamon stick (1)
- Cloves (2-3)
- Lemon peel (a small piece about the size of a quarter)
- For the custardy cream:
- Sugar (1/2 cups)
- Eggs (2, large)
- Flour (1 cup)
- Milk (2 1/2 cups)
- Vanilla extract (1/4 tsp.)
- Butter (1 cup, unsalted)
Directions
- Step 1 Prepare the custardy cream by mixing the sugar and eggs.
- Step 2 Add flour, then slowly add the milk.
- Step 3 Place saucepan on top of the stove and stir constantly with a wooden spoon. Allow the mixture to thicken.
- Step 4 Remove pan from heat and add vanilla and the butter. Beat until butter is dissolved. The custardy cream is now ready and should be left to cool.
- Step 5 Pull out the kataifi, unravelling it with your hands. Spread it in a buttered baking dish.
- Step 6 Bake in a 350-degree oven until it has browned.
- Step 7 Meanwhile, prepare the syrup by boiling the sugar and water in a saucepan with the cinnamon, clove, and lemon peel.
- Step 8 When it has thickened slightly, remove the spices and lemon peel and pour it over the kataifi as soon as it comes out of the oven.
- Step 9 Spread the custardy cream on top and put in a refrigerator to cool.
- Step 10 When you serve it, spread on a layer of whipped cream and sprinkle with the pistachio nuts.
Check out the other “Big Fat Greek Mother’s Day Party” recipes.
Find more recipes in the Food section.
