*** This recipe is online at http://orthodoxkitchen.com/recipes/kanafeh/ ***

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   Kanafeh
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Serves 8-10 

Ingredients
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3/4 cup melted ghee (clarified butter)
1 lb. Kataifi frozen dough (shredded phyllo)
1.5 lbs. a sweet pressed cheese
2 tbsp. pine nuts
2, large, shallow baking pans of the same size (2 jelly roll pans work well for this.)


Instructions
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Kanafeh is traditionally eaten as a breakfast, but it is also becoming common as a
dessert.  I've heard of people using a mix of ricotta and fresh mozarella in a pinch.  If
you have an Arab grocer nearby the "sweet cheese" is what I recommend.  It's a very
similar to mozzarella, but slightly more firm.

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1. Pull the package of Kataifi dough out of the freezer and put it on the counter to thaw
about an hour before making this.

2. When you're ready to start, remove the dough from the plastic and, using your hands,
pull it apart and tear it into small pieces of about 1/2-1 inch in length.  This is hard
to explain, but you basically want to break the strands of dough down to small pieces. 
You can use a food processor for this, but the food processor tends to pulverize the
dough too much.  You don't want them too small.  Work quickly, as the dough dries out
fast.

3. When the dough is shredded, add the ghee and mix well, making sure that all the dough
is coated evenly.  I start with 1/2 cup, and then add more if the dough seems too dry.

4. Grease a jelly roll pan very generously and sprinkle the pine nuts evenly.

5. Lay out the dough evenly and very firmly press it down into the pan.  (The more firm
the layer, the better it will maintain itself after you flip it.)

6. Bake the dough at 350 F for 20-30 minutes, until it turns golden.  You should watch it
carefully towards the end, as you do not want it to turn brown.  While it is baking, tear
the cheese into small pieces.

7. Remove the pan from the oven and lay out the cheese evenly on top.

8. Grease the other pan generously.  Place it upside down on top of the pan containing
the baked Kataifi dough and quickly flip it over.  If you greased the pan well enough,
the dough should easily fall cheese-side down into the new pan, showing a beautiful gold
dough on top spotted with the pine nuts.  Bake the kanafeh for about 10 more minutes
until the cheese has melted.

9. Serve warm with uttar to taste. (Uttar is a simple syrup of 2 cups water and 1 cup
sugar.  Boil until thickened, then add a TB lemon juice and a TB mai zaher - orange
blossom water.)