Qatayef (stuffed with cheese)
Middle Eastern yeasted pancakes stuffed with cheese, deep fried until golden, served with sugar syrup and crushed pistachios. They are traditionally made for Ramadan but don’t stop yourself from enjoying them anytime of the year.
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Frying pan
- Flat spatula
- Kitchen towel
- Sauce pot
- Spoons
Ingredients
For the pancakes -
- 3/4 cup flour
- 1/4 cup semolina
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp instant yeast
- pinch of salt
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp water
For the filling -
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
For the syrup -
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 saffron strands
- 2 cardamom pods
- small piece cinnamon stick
Instructions
- Add all the dry ingredients in a bowl and whisk. Add the warm water and whisk until smooth.
- Cover and rest for 30 mins or until bubbly. Add a spoonful of batter on a sauté pan, and cook for a few minutes until bubbles form on the surface. Cook until the top is not sticky and dry. Do not flip it.
- Transfer to a tray and cover them. Repeat until all the batter is done. Heat oil a deep pan and stuff each pancake with grated mozzarella cheese. Seal the edges together and repeat with all the pancakes.
- Deep fry for a min on each side and remove from the oil. Place on kitchen towel and let the excess oil drain. Alternatively you can bake them for 8-10 mins at 180 Deg C.
- To make the syrup, boil the ingredients together for a 5 minutes on medium heat in a sauce pot. Let it cool down for a few minutes before using as it will hot.
- Serve the pancakes hot with warm syrup and crushed pistachios.
Notes
- You can use any stringy cheese you prefer.
- This recipe can be doubled for a larger quantity.