- 2 cups cold water
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 pound shredded filo dough
- 1 lb sweet kunefe cheese
- 1/2 cup half and half
- 3/4 cup melted clarified butter
- 1 cup finely ground pistachio nuts
This is a very classical Turkish dessert, which must be eaten warm soon after it leaves the oven. In Turkey, restaurants ask you to place your kunefe order with the main course so the kitchen has plenty of time to prepare it before it is time to have the desert.
Prepare
the syrup You need to make the syrup ahead of time so that
there is plenty of time to cool before the kunefe comes out of the
oven. Pour the water in a pot, add the sugar and bring the mixture
to a boil and leave it boiling for five minutes. Reduce the heat and
simmer for 15 minutes. Add the lemon juice, simmer for an additional
3 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool.
Preheat
the oven Set the oven temperature to 375F and turn it on.
For kunefe, it is important to preheat the oven.
Prepare
the cheese mixture Coarsely grate the cheese and mix it with
half-and-half, set it aside.
Prepare
the filo dough Cut the shredded dough into 1/4 inch (~ 1/2
cm) long pieces using kitchen scissors. Use your hands to mix the shredded
dough with half of the clarified butter in a bowl. 
Assemble
the kunefe Spread half of the dough in a 9 inch baking
pan.
Spread
the cheese mixture evenly on the dough.
Finish
it off by spreading the remaining shredded dough on the cheese mixture.
Gently press on the kunefe with your hands.
Baking
Bake the kunefe for 35 minutes in the preheated oven on the center
rack. As soon as you take the kunefe out of the oven, pour the cold syrup
over the sizzling hot kunefe evenly with a spoon.
Sprinkle
the kunefe with the ground pistachio nuts and serve.