Levantine cuisine · Desserts & Sweets

Balluriyeh

Pale kadayif pastry slices baked light instead of browned, with a thick pistachio layer and clear sugar syrup.

Ingredients · for 8 servings

• 500 g kadayif pastry strands
• 250 g butter
• 300 g pistachios
• 400 g sugar
• 250 ml water
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp rose water
• 1 tbsp orange blossom water
• 1 pinch salt

Instructions

1. Bring the sugar, water and lemon juice to a boil and let reduce uncovered for 10 min. until the syrup is slightly thready, then stir in the rose water and orange blossom water and let cool completely.
2. Melt the butter, carefully pour off the clear part and discard the milky residue – only the clarified fat keeps the pastry pale.
3. Pull the kadayif strands apart by hand, mix in a bowl with the clarified butter and a pinch of salt until every strand is coated.
4. Press half the strands firmly into a buttered 30 × 20 cm dish, spread the coarsely chopped pistachios evenly on top and cover with the remaining strands, pressing down firmly again.
5. Bake in the oven preheated to 170 °C for 35–40 min. – the pastry should be cooked through and dry but take on only a very pale color; cover with foil if it browns too much.
6. Immediately pour the cold syrup evenly over the hot pastry, let steep for 2 hrs., cut into diamonds and serve sprinkled with chopped pistachios.