Turkish cuisine · Desserts & Sweets

Shredded Kadayif

Shredded phyllo dough with butter and walnuts baked in a pan and soaked in lemon syrup.

Ingredients · for 8 servings

• 500 g kadayıf (shredded phyllo)
• 250 g butter
• 250 g walnuts
• 450 g sugar
• 1 lemon
• 50 g pistachios

Instructions

1. For the syrup, simmer the sugar, 400 ml water and the lemon juice uncovered for 12 min. until it turns slightly syrupy, and let cool completely.
2. Pull apart the kadayıf with your fingers in a large bowl until there are no clumps left and the strands lie loose and airy.
3. Melt the butter, skim off the clear butter from the top and slowly pour it over the shredded dough; work through the strands with your hands for 3–4 min. until every strand glistens.
4. Press half of the kadayıf into a buttered baking dish, spread the roughly chopped walnuts evenly over it and cover with the second half; press down firmly all over.
5. Bake at 180 °C (350 °F) for 40–45 min. until the surface is deep golden brown and crisp, and the base also looks browned when lifted with a knife.
6. Immediately pour the cold syrup evenly over the hot dish, let it soak in for 2 hours, cut into squares and serve sprinkled with chopped pistachios.