Kataifi Pastry and Cheese Rolls

by Vefa Alexiadou
from Vefa’s Kitchen
(Phaiden Press, Inc., 2009)
Makes 20 to 25 rolls

Kataifi pastry is a shredded pastry resembling shredded wheat. It isn’t as well known as phyllo (fillo) but can be found at Middle Eastern specialty stores and in many retail market freezer cases.—Linda Avery

convert Ingredients
4 tablespoons butter, plus extra for greasing
4 eggs
Pepper
7 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) grated kaseri or Gruyere cheese
11 ounces kataifi pastry
4 tablespoons corn oil
2/3 cup (1/4 pint) milk
2/3 cup (1/4 pint) heavy (double) cream

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Method
1. Grease an ovenproof dish with butter and set aside.

2. Lightly beat two of the eggs in a bowl, season with pepper, and stir in the cheeses.

3. Tease out the kataifi pastry and divide into 20 to 25 long sections. Keep the sections covered with a damp cloth to keep them moist.

4. Take one section of kataifi and pat it gently between your palms. Place 1 tablespoon of the cheese mixture on it and fold it over the filling, shaping a ball. Continue until all the sections of kataifi are filled. Place them in the prepared dish, close together. Heat the 4 tablespoons butter and corn oil together and pour a teaspoon over each roll.

5. At this point you can wrap and freeze the rolls or store them in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

6. One hour before baking, lightly beat together the milk, cream, and remaining eggs. Pour the mixture over the rolls and let them stand for l hour, until they have absorbed the liquid. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the rolls for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve immediately.

Note: You can substitute 1 cup (6 ounces) finely chopped cured ham or bacon for 1 cup (4 ounces) of the cheese mixture.

Recipe © 2009 Phaidon Press Limited. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.