Ktefa (milk pastilla)

Step 1: Whisk 2 eggs, 2 ⅞ oz sugar, 1 ⅜ oz cornflour and a ladle of the 3 ¼ cups whole milk in a bowl until smooth. Heat the rest of the milk in a saucepan over a medium heat until steaming.

Step 2: Pour the hot milk onto the egg mixture, whisking, then return it all to the pan. Cook over a medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens and bubbles, then let it bubble for 1 minute more so the cornflour and eggs are cooked through.

Step 3: Take off the heat, stir in 2 tbsp orange-flower water and transfer to a bowl. Press cling film onto the surface and let it cool, then chill.

Step 4: Toast 5 ½ oz blanched almonds in a dry pan over a medium heat, stirring, until golden. Cool, then grind coarsely with 3 tbsp sugar and ½ tsp ground cinnamon so some small pieces remain.

Step 5: Cut 8 filo pastry sheets or warqa into rounds about 22 cm across, two layers at a time. Heat 2 cups vegetable oil in a wide pan to 350°F and fry each double round for 20–30 seconds a side until golden and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper.

Step 6: Just before serving, lay one pastry round on a platter, spread with a thin layer of custard and scatter with almonds. Repeat, building 4–5 layers, and finish with pastry, almonds and a dusting of 1 tbsp icing sugar. Serve at once with the rest of the custard in a bowl.