Palestinian Nablus-Style Cheese Knafeh with Orange Blossom Syrup

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Knafeh Nablus is the crown jewel of Palestinian sweets, originating in the old city of Nablus where artisans have perfected this stretchy, syrup-soaked dessert for centuries. A crisp shredded pastry crust wraps warm, melty Nabulsi cheese, then gets drenched in fragrant orange blossom syrup and crowned with crushed pistachios for the perfect sweet-salty balance.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 585 kcalCalories
• 32 gFat
• 17 gSaturated Fat
• 58 gCarbs
• 2 gFiber
• 36 gSugar
• 15 gProtein
• 520 mgSodium
• 180 mgPotassium
• 285 mgCalcium
• 1.5 mgIron
• 0.5 mgVitamin C
• 260 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the orange blossom syrup

• 1.5 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon orange blossom water
• 1/2 teaspoon rose water
• 1 strip lemon peel

For the cheese filling

• 450 g Nabulsi cheese (or akkawi), soaked 2 hours and cubed
• 100 g low-moisture mozzarella, shredded
• 60 g unsalted butter, softened

For the pastry and topping

• 500 g fresh kataifi (shredded phyllo) dough, thawed
• 180 g unsalted ghee, melted
• 1/4 teaspoon orange food coloring (traditional Nablus hue)
• 60 g raw pistachios, finely crushed
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, for greasing

Directions

1. Make the syrup first: combine sugar, water, lemon juice, and lemon peel in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves, then simmer 8 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat, discard peel, and stir in orange blossom and rose water. Cool completely to room temperature.
2. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Generously butter a 26 cm round metal baking pan or traditional knafeh tray.
3. Place the shredded kataifi in a large bowl and drizzle the melted ghee over it. Using your fingers, separate and toss the strands thoroughly so every thread is coated. Divide the mixture in half and tint one half lightly with orange food coloring, mixing until evenly colored.
4. Press the uncolored kataifi evenly across the bottom and up the sides of the buttered pan to form a solid base layer about 1 cm thick. Spread the softened butter over the surface, then scatter the cubed Nabulsi cheese and shredded mozzarella evenly across, leaving a 1 cm border at the edges.
5. Loosen the orange-tinted kataifi with your fingers and gently pile it over the cheese layer, spreading it lightly without pressing down so the strands stay airy. Bake on the center rack for 30 to 35 minutes until the top is deeply golden and the cheese at the edges is bubbling.
6. Immediately pour 3/4 of the cooled syrup evenly over the hot knafeh right out of the oven (you should hear a satisfying sizzle). Let it rest 5 minutes so the syrup soaks into the pastry.
7. Slide the knafeh out of the pan onto a round serving plate, scatter the crushed pistachios generously over the top, and serve warm with the remaining syrup on the side for drizzling.

Cook’s Notes

• Soaking Nabulsi cheese in cold water for 2 hours (changing water once) is essential to remove excess salt; pat dry thoroughly before using.
• The syrup must be completely cold when poured over the hot knafeh, otherwise it will turn gummy instead of soaking into the pastry strands.
• Use a metal pan rather than glass for the crispiest base; traditional copper trays are ideal if you have one.
• For an authentic touch, briefly broil the top 1 to 2 minutes at the end to deepen the orange color and add extra crunch.
• Leftover knafeh keeps 1 day refrigerated and re-crisps well in a 180°C oven for 8 minutes before re-syruping.

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