Nuts and Dried Fruit Kataifi

Kataifi or as known in Bulgaria - kadaif - is a dessert made of finely shredded filo pastry. Of course filo pastry recipes vary in the different countries, so the filo in Bulgaria is completely different from the Greek filo.
For this recipe I used Greek frozen kataifi pastry, which comes in 400 gr pack.

Recipe:

400 gr kataifi pastry defrosted
butter for the tin

for the filling:

100 gr walnuts
100 gr blanched almonds
50 gr dried apricots
cinnamon
75 gr unrefined sugar, but avoid too strong taste


For the syrup:

500 ml water
400 gr sugar
50 ml honey
freshly squeezed juice of half lemon


Method:

Mix the filling ingredients in a mixer well, starting with the nuts. Then add the finely shredded apricots and mix again. In a bowl mix the fruit and nut mixture, which will have a consistency of a ball with the sugar and cinnamon and mix well with hands. Store aside.

Carefully place the defrosted pastry on a flat surface and cut 10x30 cm strips of it. Place enough filling in the shorter end of the strips and roll. Proceed with the rest.

Butter the tin and place the ready rolls in it. Bake on 200 degrees for 35 minutes until golden brown. Leave to coll for 5-10 minutes.

In the meantime combine the ingredients for the syrup and bring to the boil. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until it reduces volume.

Pour the hot syrup over the pastry. Allow to cool completely and enjoy!


My husband nicknamed them hairy halva dessert :)