A sweet mixture of chopped nuts ... phyllo dough ... a syrupy topping ... sound familiar? But this isn't baklava, it's kataïfi (pronounced kah-tah-EE-fee). Perhaps not as well known, this pastry is made with almost the same ingredients, and looks like it has been wrapped in shredded wheat. This version of kataïfi has an almond and walnut filling and, after baking, is soaked in a light syrup.
And Beatrice_K has given it a 5-star review and plans to make it to give as gifts at Christmas.
The hardest thing about this recipe may be finding the kataïfi dough, which is shredded phyllo. It could be next to the phyllo sheets in the freezer section of large chain grocery stores, and if not, look for it at Greek, Mediterranean, or Middle Eastern markets, or through online shopping resources.
I'm told (I haven't ever tried it) that you can make your own kataïfi dough by rolling sheets of phyllo dough into a tube and cutting it into 1/4-inch slices. Phyllo sheets dry out quickly when exposed to air and I think you'd have to be fast with a knife to get it done properly. If you do try it or have done it, let us know on the Greek Food Forum.
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Photo © Jim Stanfield
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