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    You Are Here Home » Sweets Recipes

    Published: Sep 27, 2020 Updated: Oct 5, 2020 by Hilda Sterner | This post may contain affiliate links 9 Comments

    Kadayif (Kadaif) Pistachio-Filled Shredded Phyllo Dough)

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    kadayif (Kadaif) pastry pin

    Kadayif (or Kadaif) is made with buttery noodles called Kataifi Pastry. The noodles are layered with a cardamom-flavored pistachio filling and drenched in a delicious rose water-flavored syrup. It's easier to prepare than Baklava, and dare I say, more delicious? Try Kadayif with Turkish Coffee, they're traditionally served together.

    Why This Recipe Works

    This delicious recipe takes minutes to prepare, not hours. In fact, the hardest part will be waiting for it to come out of the oven.

    Unlike traditional Baklava, Kadayif can definitely be considered a beginner recipe. Many cooks are intimidated by recipes that use phyllo dough. Let's be honest, the thin and fragile sheets can be a pain to handle. Not only do they break easily, but you have to keep them covered in order to keep them from drying.

    None of those issues apply when working with Kataifi (sometimes called shredded phyllo dough). So if you can shred or tear the vermicelli-like dough and drench it in butter, you've got the skills required to make Kadayif!

    What Goes into This Recipe

    labeled kadayif ingredients

    Recipe Ingredient Notes

    • Kataifi — Although the name of this shredded pastry dough "Kataifi" sounds awfully similar to the name of this recipe, "Kadayif," don't let that confuse you. You can refer to it as "shredded fillo or phyllo dough" when you ask for it at your local grocery store. It can usually be found in the freezer section, but it is a specialty item. However, you may have to find it at your local Greek or Middle Eastern markets. If all else fails, there's always Amazon.
    • Rose Flower Water — Rose Flower Water or Orange Blossom Water are added to the syrup to give the Kadayif a Middle Eastern flair. Both can be purchased for one low price on Amazon. I've never tried making my own rose water (yet), but here's a rosewater recipe if you want to try it!
    • Cardamom — Cardamom is the dominant spice in the recipe, and works well with cinnamon.
    • Honey — Although most people choose either honey or simple syrup when making Kadayif, I prefer a mixture of both. You don't have to use raw and unfiltered honey like I did.

    How to Make This Recipe

    Note: Defrost Kadaifi (shredded Fillo dough) according to package instructions.  

    Prepare Syrup

    STEP 1: Add water, sugar, and honey in a saucepan and cook over medium heat, while stirring, until the sugar is dissolved.

    pouring syrup ingredients into a pot
    stirring syrup ingredients into a pot

    STEP 2: Bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. Skim off the foam that comes to the surface. Mix in lemon juice and rose or orange blossom water and boil for a few additional minutes. Set aside to cool.

    skimming foam off syrup with a wooden spoon
    stirring syrup with a wooden spoon

    Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F

    Clarify Butter

    Melt butter in the microwave or over very low heat. Clarify the butter by skimming the white foamy surface off then pour it into a measuring cup, leaving behind the milky residue on the bottom. 

    Note: I started with 1 cup of butter, which yielded ¾ cup of clarified butter).

    skimming foam off of melted butter
    pouring melted better into a measuring cup

    Prepare the Kadayif Filling

    Coarsely chop the pistachios in a food processor, or place in a ziplock bag and pound until broken up. Mix cardamom and cinnamon in with the chopped pistachios.

    pistachios in a food processor
    pistachios in a plastic bag with a rolling pin

    Assemble/Bake

    STEP 1: Butter a 9" x 13" baking tray and set aside until needed. Add phyllo dough to a large bowl and break it up with your hands. Arrange half of the dough into the buttered pan.

    buttered metal pan
    Kadaifi in a rectangle pan

    STEP 2: Pour ½ of the melted butter over the shredded phyllo dough and work in with your hands or a pastry brush, making sure all the strands are covered with butter. Press down firmly with your hands to compact the dough.

    buttering Kadaifi with a blue pastry brush

    STEP 3: Distribute the entire pistachio mixture evenly over the dough. Add the remaining shredded phyllo dough over the nuts and pour the other ½ cup of clarified butter evenly over the dough.

    pan of Kadayif with pistachios
    Kadayif being buttered with a blue pastry brush with more butter in a measuring cup

    STEP 4: Place the pan in the oven and bake in the oven for 60 minutes, or until the fillo dough is golden brown.

    unbaked Kadayif in a pan with a blue dishcloth
    baked Kadayif in a pan

    STEP 5: Remove the pan from the oven and slowly pour the syrup all over the pan, making sure to cover every inch. Slice into 24 squares.

    pouring syrup over Kadaifi
    Kadayif in a pan

    STEP 6: Allow the Kadayif to come to room temperature before serving. If you have that much self-control, congratulations. You're a better man/woman than I am!

    Kadayif being served from the pan

    Recipe FAQs

    What is Kadayif made of?

    Kadayif is made with Kataifi which is the Greek name for "shredded filo dough." However, the dough is not really shredded. Instead, a thin batter is spun in a hot pan to form very thin threads that are coiled together.

    The thin noodles are buttered and layered or rolled with a nut mixture filling. The assembled Kadayif is then baked in the oven. A thick syrup is poured over the baked pastry.

    Is Kataifi a vermicelli?

    Kataifi is not the same as vermicelli noodles. "Vermicelli" means "little worms" in Italian and refers to very thin dry noodles. Sometimes the noodles are sold broken into small pieces, while other times they are sold in coils.

    Kataifi, on the other hand, is spun in a hot pan. It's used to make kunafa (sometimes spelled Kunefe).

    What other nuts can you use to make Kadayif?

    Besides pistachios, you can use walnuts, pecans, almonds, or a combination of those nuts as a filling to make Kadayif.

    How should Kadayif be stored?

    Allow the Kadayif to cool completely before storing it. You also want to keep it uncovered, otherwise, it will become soggy.

    I prefer to remove the cooled Kadayif from the pan then store it in another container, partially covered. Another option is to cover it with a cheesecloth. Basically, you want to allow for some air circulation to keep it from getting soft.

    Pro Tips

    • Keep in mind you will need to defrost frozen Fillo Dough in the fridge overnight before you can use it.
    • Most people use either simple syrup or honey to make Kadayif. I prefer a combination of the two, although if I had to suggest just one to use, it would be a simple syrup.
    • When pouring syrup over Kadayif, you want the syrup to be cool when you pour it over the hot pastry. The other option is to cook the pastry first and allow to cool, then add hot syrup over it. This helps the syrup to get absorbed better.
    • If you prefer, you can cut the Kadayif prior to pouring the syrup all over it.

    Related Recipes

    • Apple Strudel Recipe (using Fillo Dough)
    • Middle Eastern Dessert (Muakacha)
    • Zlabia (Middle Eastern Mini Funnel Cakes)
    • Semolina Cake (Nammoura)

    Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.

    Stay in touch with me through social media @ Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, and Facebook. Don't forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes!

    main photo kadayif

    Kadayif (Kadaif) Pistachio-Filled Shredded Phyllo Dough

    Buttery shredded Phyllo dough, filled with a pistachio filling and drenched in a rosewater syrup.
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: Greek, Middle Eastern
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour
    Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
    Servings: 24 pieces
    Calories: 357kcal
    Author: Hilda Sterner

    Ingredients

    • 1 1 lb. Kadaifi pastry dough (shredded fillo dough)
    • 1 cup unsalted butter clarified

    Syrup

    • 1 cup water
    • 1 cup sugar
    • ½ cup honey
    • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
    • 1 tablespoon rose flower water (orange blossom water)

    Filling

    • 1½ cup pistachios (chopped finely)
    • 1½ teaspoon cardamom powder
    • 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder

    Instructions

    • Defrost Kadaifi (shredded fillo dough) according to package instructions. Keep in mind you will need to defrost frozen dough in the fridge overnight before you can use it.

    Syrup

    • Add water, sugar, and honey in a saucepan and cook over medium heat, while stirring, until the sugar is dissolved.
    • Bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. Skim off the foam that comes to the surface. Mix in lemon juice and rose or orange blossom water and boil for a few additional minutes. Set aside to cool.

    Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F

      Clarify Butter

      • Melt butter in the microwave or over very low heat. Clarify the butter by skimming the white foamy surface off then pour it into a measuring cup, leaving behind the milky residue on the bottom. 

      Prepare the Filling

      • Coarsely chop the pistachios in a food processor, or place in a ziplock bag and pound until broken up. Mix cardamom and cinnamon in with the chopped pistachios.

      Assemble/Bake

      • Butter a 9" x 13" baking pan and set aside until needed. Add Fillo Dough to a large bowl and break it up with your hands. Arrange half of the dough into the buttered pan.
      • Pour ½ of the melted butter over the shredded Fillo dough and work in with your hands or a pastry brush, making sure all the strands are covered with butter. Press down firmly with your hands to compact the dough.
      • Distribute the entire pistachio mixture evenly over the dough. Add the remaining shredded Fillo Dough over the nuts and pour the other ½ cup of clarified butter evenly over the dough.
      • Bake in the oven for 60 minutes, or until the Fillo Dough is golden brown.
      • Remove the pan from the oven and slowly pour the syrup all over the pan, making sure to cover every inch. Slice into squares.
      • Allow the Kadayif to come to room temperature before serving. If you have that much self-control, congratulations!

      Notes

      • Keep in mind you will need to defrost frozen Fillo Dough in the fridge overnight before you can use it.
      • Most people use either simple syrup or honey to make Kadayif. I prefer a combination of the two, although if I had to suggest just one to use, it would be a simple syrup.
      • When pouring syrup over Kadayif, you want the syrup to be cool when you pour it over the hot pastry. The other option is to cook the pastry first and allow to cool, then add hot syrup over it. This helps the syrup to get absorbed better.
      • If you prefer, you can cut the Kadayif prior to pouring the syrup all over it.

      Nutrition

      Serving: 1piece | Calories: 357kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 50g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 57mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 16g
      Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @HildasKitchenBlog or tag #HildasKitchenBlog!
      « How to Make Rosehips Syrup
      How to Make Kataifi Pastry from scratch! »

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      Reader Interactions

      Comments

      1. Carolyn Wickwire says

        July 25, 2021 at 7:31 am

        5 stars
        Made a test batch in preparation for our dinner club this weekend. Wonderful! I plan to make the second in an 8x8 pan. Can the syrup be made the day before? Refrigerate or not?

        Reply
        • Hilda Sterner says

          July 25, 2021 at 7:38 am

          Hi Carolyn, thank you so much for the review! You can make the syrup the day before, but I would let it get to room temperature while the Kadayif is baking. I've never tried adding cold syrup, so I'm not sure what the results would be. The kadayif can get limp and soft if refrigerated. I would leave it out and lightly cover it with cheesecloth.

          Reply
      2. Carolyn says

        July 03, 2021 at 9:43 am

        How long can this be stored in the fridge?

        Reply
        • Hilda Sterner says

          July 03, 2021 at 11:57 am

          It will be good for 2 to 3 days, the problem is it will soften up over time. Still good, but different texture. If you don't mind the softer texture, it can be stored longer. I usually store it out of the fridge, uncovered, or coverd with cheesecloth. It seems to stay firmer longer.

          Reply
      3. Ghazala says

        November 27, 2020 at 7:20 pm

        5 stars
        Wonderful recipe that is so easy to make. I omitted the spice because my husband doesn't like the smell of them. It was the most perfect recipe with the "just right" amount of syrup. Thank you so much.

        Reply
        • Hilda Sterner says

          November 27, 2020 at 8:06 pm

          Hi Ghazala,
          Thank you so much for the sweet review. I'm so glad you and your husband enjoyed the recipe. 🙂

          Reply
      4. Kathy Fisher says

        September 30, 2020 at 8:56 pm

        5 stars
        I tried your Kadayif today. Simply delicious. Thanks for sharing.

        Reply
        • Hilda Sterner says

          September 30, 2020 at 10:26 pm

          Come again tomorrow! 😘

          Reply
      5. Cynthia Donahey says

        September 29, 2020 at 5:12 pm

        You can substitute shredded wheat. I knew someone who used this with maple syrup and hickory nuts. Mr. Kellogg did not invent the cereal.

        Reply

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