Kadaifi - Nut Pastry

Ingredients

• Filling
• 12 oz. walnuts or almonds, coarsely chopped
• 2 oz sugar
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 2 T brandy
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon if walnuts are used, or 1 T grated lemon peel for almond filling
• Pastry
• 1 lb thread-like Kadaifi pastry
• 6 oz unsalted butter, melted
• 1 T ground cinnamon, for the top (optional)
• Syrup
• 1 lb caster sugar
• 3/4 pint water
• 1 T lemon juice
• 1-2 pieces of lemon rind

Directions

Mix all the filling ingredients well, in a bowl. Brush a large baking dish with butter. Pull a small handful of pastry lightly and spread it flat on a wooden board. Place a large tablespoon of filling in one end of the pastry and roll the pastry tightly over it, making sure the filling is securely enclosed. The result should resemble a cylindrical fat parcel, about 4 ins long. Place these parcels in rows in the baking dish with space in between so the sides can brown. Melt butter and pour 1-2 T over each piece of kadaifi.

Bake in a preheated oven, 350 degree, for 30 minutes, increase temperature to 425 degrees and cook an additional 10 minutes. The pastries should have a crisp and pale golden appearance. Let them cool, while making the syrup.

Dissolve the sugar in water, add the lemon juice and rind, and boil gently for 8-10 minutes, until the syrup thickens slightly. Pour the hot syrup slowly over the cool kadaifi and let stand in the dish until the syrup is completely absorbed. Sprinkle a little cinnamon on each piece.

Submitted 6/13/05.
Source: Greek Food - An Affectionate Celebration of Traditional Recipes
Submitted By: Rick Smith
rick@dragons.net
Kadaifi - Nut Pastry