Qatayef Recipe
ْقَطايِف
Qatayef is the Middle East’s answer to pancakes, the ultimate dessert during the holy month of Ramadan. This Qatayef recipe features a folded pancake filled with walnuts or sweetened cheese, then topped with a drizzle of syrup. The crispy shell with the sumptuous cinnamon filling of walnuts, cheese, or both, makes it an irresistible dessert. While some deep fry Qatayef for a richer flavor, I almost always choose to bake in the oven smothered in butter. If, and only if, you end up with leftovers, stick them in the oven for 15 minutes, they are equally as good as the previous day batch.
If you're making it from scratch, you’ll love trying a simple homemade qatayef dough recipe. Whether you're looking for a classic treat or exploring a new recipe for qatayef, this one delivers all the comfort and tradition of this beloved dish.
Ingredients
Pancake Batter:
- 3 cups lukewarm water
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup fine semolina flour
- 1¾ tbsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
Walnut Filling:
- 2 cups chopped walnuts
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
Cheese Filling:
- 2 cups Akkawi cheese, crumbled
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
Syrup:
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1½ cups water
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 8 tbsp melted butter
Instructions
- In a bowl of a food processor, blend the water, semolina flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt until a batter-like consistency forms, about 3 minutes. Let stand for 30 minutes.
- Prepare the walnut filling by combining the chopped walnuts, sugar, and cinnamon, mix well. Do the same with the cheese filling.
- In a dry, large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, heat the pan for 5 minutes. Once hot, add ¼ cup of the batter. Cook until bubbles form on top (if bubbles do not appear within the first 5 to 10 seconds, the pan is not hot enough) and the batter is no longer wet, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the pancake to a tray and cover with a clean towel to keep it from drying. Repeat with the remaining batter.
- Place 2 to 3 tbsp of the filling in the middle of a pancake. Fold the pancake in half, pinching the seam firmly to seal. Place on a baking sheet and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Repeat until the fillings are used up.
- To make sugar syrup, combine sugar and water in a small pot over medium heat, whisk constantly until the sugar dissolves and bubbles, about 14 minutes. Add the lemon juice and set aside to cool down.
- Preheat the oven to 375 F.
- Brush both sides of each pancake with the melted butter. Bake in the preheated oven until golden, flipping halfway, about 20 minutes total.
- Drizzle with sugar syrup and serve immediately.
