Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- 450 g (1 lb) kataifi (shredded phyllo) dough, thawed
- 340 g (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter, melted (plus extra for the pan)
- 240 g (2 cups) walnuts, finely chopped
- 120 g (1 cup) pistachios, finely chopped
- 100 g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp fine salt
- 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
- Syrup: 400 g (2 cups) granulated sugar, 360 ml (1 1/2 cups) water, 2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lemon juice, 1 tbsp honey, 1 strip lemon peel
Do This
- 1. Thaw kataifi: overnight in the fridge, then 1 hour at room temperature; keep covered with a barely damp towel.
- 2. Make syrup: boil sugar + water + lemon peel 10 minutes; stir in lemon juice + honey; cool to room temp.
- 3. Mix filling: walnuts + pistachios + sugar + cinnamon + cloves + salt + lemon zest.
- 4. Form rolls: pull apart kataifi, lay a small log of filling near one end, roll up; place seam-side down.
- 5. Butter well: brush tops generously with melted butter; bake at 175°C (350°F) for 45–55 minutes until deep golden and crisp.
- 6. Syrup: pour room-temp syrup over hot pastry; rest 45 minutes to absorb and set.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Big texture payoff: crisp, toasted kataifi strands outside with a sticky, aromatic center.
- Bright, not cloying: lemon zest and lemon juice keep the syrup and nuts lively.
- Make-ahead friendly: it actually gets better after it rests and the syrup settles in.
- Showstopper with simple steps: rolling looks fancy, but it’s very doable at home.
Grocery List
- Produce: 2 lemons (zest + juice; peel strip for syrup)
- Dairy: unsalted butter
- Pantry: kataifi (shredded phyllo) dough, walnuts, pistachios, granulated sugar, honey, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, fine salt
Full Ingredients
Kataifi Pastry
- 450 g (1 lb) kataifi (shredded phyllo) dough, thawed (see notes in Step 1)
- 340 g (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter, melted and kept warm
- 1 tsp melted butter, for greasing the pan
Spiced Nut Filling
- 240 g (2 cups) walnuts, finely chopped (not powdered)
- 120 g (1 cup) pistachios, finely chopped
- 100 g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp fine salt
- 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
Lemony Sugar Syrup
- 400 g (2 cups) granulated sugar
- 360 ml (1 1/2 cups) water
- 1 strip lemon peel (about 5 cm x 2 cm), removed with a peeler (avoid too much white pith)
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp (21 g) honey
Optional Finishing
- 2 tbsp finely chopped pistachios, for garnish
- 1/2 tsp extra lemon zest, for garnish
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Thaw and prep the kataifi dough
Thaw 450 g (1 lb) kataifi dough overnight in the refrigerator (keep it in its package). About 1 hour before you want to roll, bring it to room temperature so the strands separate without snapping.
When you open the package, gently loosen the kataifi with your fingertips. Keep the dough you’re not actively using covered with a clean, barely damp towel so it doesn’t dry out while you work.
Step 2: Make the lemony syrup and cool it
In a small saucepan, combine 400 g (2 cups) sugar, 360 ml (1 1/2 cups) water, and the strip of lemon peel. Set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring just until the sugar dissolves.
Reduce to a steady simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, then stir in 2 tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice and 1 tbsp (21 g) honey.
Let the syrup cool to room temperature (about 30–45 minutes). Discard the lemon peel once cooled. For this dessert’s signature crunch, you’ll pour cool/room-temp syrup over hot pastry.
Step 3: Mix the spiced nut filling
In a medium bowl, combine the chopped walnuts and pistachios with 100 g (1/2 cup) sugar, 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp cloves, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1 tsp lemon zest.
Stir well so the spices are evenly distributed. Set aside.
Step 4: Prepare the pan and heat the oven
Heat the oven to 175°C (350°F) with a rack in the center.
Lightly grease a 23 cm x 33 cm (9 in x 13 in) baking dish with 1 tsp melted butter. Keep the remaining melted butter warm (if it starts to thicken, briefly rewarm it).
Step 5: Roll the kataifi around the filling
Pull off a small bundle of kataifi strands (about 25 g, roughly a loose handful) and gently tease it into a thin rectangle, about 10 cm x 18 cm (4 in x 7 in). Don’t compress it too much; airy strands bake up crispier.
Spoon about 1 1/2 tbsp of nut filling (about 20 g) in a line near the short edge closest to you. Roll it up snugly into a log, tucking stray strands under as you go. Place the roll seam-side down in the buttered dish.
Repeat until you have 18 rolls, arranging them in a single layer so they fit closely but are not crushed.
Step 6: Butter generously and bake until deep golden
Using a pastry brush (or spoon), thoroughly coat the tops and sides of the rolls with the melted butter. Use it all; kataifi needs generous butter to crisp and brown evenly.
Bake at 175°C (350°F) for 45–55 minutes, rotating the pan at the 25-minute mark, until the kataifi is deep golden brown and crisp. If your oven runs cool, you may need the full 55 minutes for proper browning.
Step 7: Syrup the hot pastry and let it set
Remove the dish from the oven and place it on a heatproof surface. Immediately and slowly pour the room-temperature syrup evenly over the hot kataifi rolls. You should hear a gentle sizzle as it soaks in.
Let the kataifi rest uncovered at room temperature for 45 minutes before serving. This resting time is essential: the strands stay crunchy while the interior turns sticky, aromatic, and sliceable.
If using, garnish with 2 tbsp chopped pistachios and a little extra lemon zest right before serving.
Pro Tips
- Cool syrup + hot pastry = better crunch. If both are hot, the exterior can soften too much.
- Don’t mince the nuts into powder. Finely chopped is ideal; powdery nuts can turn pasty inside.
- Work in small batches of dough. Kataifi dries quickly; keep the rest covered with a barely damp towel.
- Go for deep golden brown. Pale kataifi won’t stay crisp once it’s syruped.
- Butter thoroughly. Dry spots won’t brown evenly and can taste dusty instead of toasty.
Variations
- Orange-scented syrup: Replace the lemon peel with an orange peel strip and use 1 tbsp lemon juice + 1 tbsp orange juice.
- All-pistachio filling: Use 360 g (3 cups) pistachios and skip the walnuts for a greener, richer roll.
- Cardamom twist: Add 1/2 tsp ground cardamom to the filling and reduce cinnamon to 1 tsp.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Make-ahead: You can form the rolls, arrange them in the pan, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Bring the pan to room temperature for 30 minutes, butter the tops, then bake as directed. Make the syrup up to 3 days ahead and keep it refrigerated; bring to room temperature before using.
Storage: Keep leftovers loosely covered at room temperature for up to 2 days (loose covering helps preserve some crispness). For longer storage, refrigerate up to 5 days; the strands will soften more in the fridge.
Re-crisping: Warm in a 160°C (325°F) oven for 8–12 minutes. (They won’t be exactly like freshly baked, but the exterior will perk up.)
Nutrition (per serving)
Approximate, based on 12 servings: 420 calories, 25 g fat, 45 g carbohydrates, 6 g protein, 28 g sugar, 120 mg sodium.
