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Qatayef
Atayef: Ramadan pancakes folded around walnuts and baked, with syrup
Qatayef only really appear in Egypt during Ramadan: in the weeks of the fast, street vendors in Cairo and Alexandria set up big griddles and pour rows of small pancakes that are cooked on one side only, then sold by the kilo for families to fill at home. The pale, bubbly side is folded around chopped nuts and raisins (or a creamy ashta filling), sealed into half-moons, baked or fried until crisp and dipped in syrup. They are eaten after iftar with tea. Chef's tip: cook the pancakes on one side only and don't flip them; the uncooked top stays sticky and is what glues the edges shut.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For the syrup
For the pancakes
For the filling
For baking
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Make the syrup first so it can cool. Simmer 9 oz sugar and ¾ cup water over a medium heat for 8 minutes, until slightly thickened. Add 1 tsp lemon juice and 1 tsp orange blossom water and leave to cool completely.
10 minStep 2: Whisk 5 ½ oz plain flour, 1 ¾ oz fine semolina, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp instant dried yeast, ½ tsp baking powder and 1 pinch salt in a bowl. Whisk in 1 ½ cups warm water to make a smooth batter like thick cream. Cover and leave for 30 minutes, until bubbly.
30 minStep 3: Mix 5 ½ oz walnuts, 1 ¾ oz raisins, 1 oz desiccated coconut, 2 tbsp sugar and ½ tsp ground cinnamon.
Step 4: Heat a non-stick pan over a medium heat (no oil). Pour 2 tbsp batter per pancake to make 8–9 cm rounds. Cook on one side only for 1–2 minutes, until the top is covered in holes and looks dry and matt with no wet patches, and the base is pale gold. Lay on a tea towel and cover so they stay soft.
15 minStep 5: Heat the oven to 400°F (350°F fan). Hold a pancake bubbly side up, put a heaped teaspoon of filling in the middle and fold into a half-moon. Pinch the edges firmly from one end to the other to seal; a common mistake is leaving a gap, which opens in the oven.
Step 6: Lay the qatayef on a tray, brush all over with 2 ⅛ oz butter or ghee and bake for 12–15 minutes, turning halfway, until golden and crisp at the edges.
15 minStep 7: Dip the hot qatayef straight into the cool syrup for a few seconds and lift out. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 56 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does qatayef take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 35 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of lemon juice?
- Lime juice, same amount.
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