Kunafeh

Pronounced Koon-ah-fa. Or delicious. Or fantastic......I love you kunafeh.



So we rounded the corner at the bakery and there was nothing there. I about had a minor heart attack. I had flashes in my head of throwing myself on the floor, begging, crying and screaming that I had come all the way from Florida for Kunafeh and I had to have it. When out from the back to my wondering eyes did appear a whole new dish so I did not fear! I hovered at the glass in a dead eye lock with the sweet gooey goodness. I think the guy told me in Arabic to step back I noticed out of the corner of my eye a bunch of people approaching who had been waiting at tables. I wasn't budging. They got theirs, I got mine and we adverted an international incident.

They use big putty knives to divvy it up.
I'll take it....Sold.


So what Kunafeh you ask. The best kept secret in the world. I'm not gonna tell you so I or anyone else who know and loves Kunafeh will never have to share with you.....Gah. I feel bad. That backfired. Kunafeh must be shared.......Ok. It is what they call an Arabic sweet cheese pastry. I don't get the pastry part. The sweet cheese....oh yeah. So the bottom is a mozzarella type gooey melted cheese. The top is what is really different. I am not sure exactly what it is but it is an awful lot like shredded wheat soaked in syrup. Then you add on a pile of crushed pistachio's and wa-la ..... goodness.

I have asked a gazillion Arab restaurants in Orlando if they make it. There are fabled rumors of this store and that store making it on special days but none have produced like Masri Sweets. After I told the owners at Masri sweets our sad pitiful story that we can't find Kunafeh in Orlando he told us they ship it. Music to my ears.