Knafeh Na'ameh (Knafeh Nabulsi)
Authentic Knafeh Na'ameh or Knafeh Nabulsieh, is a Palestinian dessert made with stretchy cheese, slightly crunchy dough, and simple syrup.
Ingredients
Knafeh Dough (farek)
- 2½ cups All purpose flour
- ¼ cup Fine semolina
- ⅓ cup Powdered milk
- 4 tablespoons Cornstarch
- ¾ teaspoon Baking powder
- ⅓ cup Melted ghee room temp, not hot
- 1 cup Lukewarm water
- 2 tablespoons Lukewarm water
For the pan:
- 3½ tablespoons Ghee softened but not melted
- ⅛ teaspoon Powdered food coloring adjustable quantity
Cheese Mixture:
- ½ pound Ackawi cheese
- ½ pound Nabulsi cheese
- 8 ounces Fresh mozzarella
- 4 ounces Shredded mozzarella
Instructions
How to Make the Knafeh Dough
- Before making the dough, preheat your oven to the highest setting. Mine was 500 °F
- Start by making the dough. Mix the flour, semolina, baking powder and cornstarch together. Add the powdered milk and mix. Now, add in the melted ghee and the lukewarm water and knead for 5-10 minutes, until smooth.
- Roll the dough to a 15 inch circle and place into a oven safe tray with parchment paper.
- Now, turn OFF the oven. Then, place the tray with the dough in it in the turned off oven for 40-45 minutes. Once it finishes, remove and allow to cool at room temp. Then, break the dough into pieces and place into a food processor and process until fine.
ASSEMBLY
- Spread the ghee and food coloring into the round 14 inch pan evenly.
- Take about 4 cups of the knafeh dough and spread it evenly across the pan. With the palms of your hands, press down firmly to ensure the dough sticks to the pan. Make sure to do this, otherwise the dough will stick.
- Shred your fresh mozzarella smaller and cut up the ackawi and Nabulsi cheese into small pieces.
- Add the 1/2 the amount mozzarella on top as the first layer in the center of the knafeh.
- Add 1/2 the ackawi and Nabulsi cheese into the pan over the dough, then add remaining half of mozzarella sandwiched between the two layers of Acakwi and Nabulsi.
- Top with 1/2 cup knafeh dough evenly over the cheese layer across the pan. You will have some left over dough, freeze for later.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 450 F for 30- 35 minutes, or until cheese bubbles and the edges are browned.
- Remove it from the oven, and run a knife along the edges to loosen the knafeh. Flip it into a larger or same size pan. Top with simple syrup, make sure to get the edges as well.
- Return it to the oven for about 5-10 minutes. Remove, garnish with pistachios.
Notes
You can substitute Nabulsi and Ackawi cheese with Panela cheese or queso fresco if they're not available. Do not use halloumi.
Freeze the dough after its shredded for easy use! Thaw before layering.
You can use the full amount of dough on a larger pan, or a rectangle pan. I find it works best in a 14 inch round one.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!