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Best Middle Eastern Desserts Made with Phyllo

Easy Desserts Made with Phyllo Dough

By , About.com Guide

I’ll be the first to admit that I absolutely love desserts! Some of my favorite Middle Eastern dishes are desserts, and I know exactly why: phyllo! Though it is often mistaken for puff pastry, phyllo is a dough native to the Middle East made from flour, water, and a little bit of oil. It is rolled into thin, nearly translucent sheets of dough and used to make such sweets as baklava and konafah. It bakes into a crisp, golden brown dough that can be used in everything from main dishes to desserts.

1. Qatayef

Commonly served during Ramadan, Qatayef is what is informally known as an “Arabic pancake. Filled with sweet cheese, Qatayef can be baked or fried. After it has cooked it is drizzled with syrup and ready to eat. I have tried both baked and fried Qatayef and I’ll stand behind both versions any day!

2. Easy Qatayef with Nuts

This version is made the same way Qatayef with cheese is, using the same ingredients, except this recipe shows how to fill Qatatef with nuts instead of cheese. The taste is exceptional with this one, and just like Qatayef with cheese, it is drizzled with a sweet syrup. Nuts or cheese, Qatayef was made to please!

3. Baklava

Baklava is probably the most common and well-known Middle Eastern dessert. Different regions around the world sometimes change the recipe to make it their own, but this recipe is the authentic way to make baklava. It does take some time to make, and it can get a little messy, but the unbeatable taste of baklava makes all the effort worth it!

4. Konafah with Cheese

Konafah is shredded phyllo dough layered with ricotta cheese. Also known as katayef, and kataif, this dessert is also drizzled with syrup once baked. This recipe is perfect for beginners as there are only a few ingredients and super easy to prep. Cooks in twenty minutes for a quick fix for a pesty sweet tooth!

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