Kataifi

Step 1

Place the sugar, cinnamon stick, lemon peel into a medium saucepan and add the 2 cups of boiling water from the kettle. Using boiling water helps the sugar to dissolve quicker. Stir and bring to the boil on the stove. Stir and once the sugar has dissolved, turn the heat to low and let it simmer for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, add the lemon juice and honey. Once the honey is dissolved, remove from heat and set aside to cool completely.

Step 2

In a food processor, add the almonds and pulse until roughly chopped (not ground). Place chopped almonds into a bowl, then repeat with the pistachios. Reserve some of the chopped pistachios for garnish at the end. Mix the chopped almonds and pistachios together in a bowl, along with the sugar and cinnamon. Mix well.

Step 3

Melt the butter and use a pastry brush to butter the sides and bottom of a baking dish (approximately 26cm-28cm diameter).

Step 4

Unroll the kataifi from the plastic sleeve. Using your hands, work with the dough to tear apart the shreds and gently spread the strands out if they clump together. Divide into 25-26 portions. Cover the kataifi with a damp kitchen towel, this will prevent it from drying out.

Step 5

Take one piece of the kataifi dough and spread it out on a work surface. Drizzle with melted butter and place 1 tablespoon of the nut filling at one end. Roll it up tightly, folding the sides inwards, to form a small cylinder. Place the roll into the prepared pan and brush the outside with melted butter. Repeat this process for the remaining kataifi dough and filling. Arrange the rolls in the pan with no gaps between, and brush with a little more butter.

Step 6

Preheat oven to 160°C and place kataifi on the middle rack and bake for 1 hour, or until golden brown and crispy.

Step 7

Once you remove the kataifi from the oven, use a ladle and pour half of the cold syrup over the top, allowing it to absorb. Allow the kataifi to soak up the syrup for 30 minutes. Ladle the remaining syrup over the kataifi. Garnish with the reserved chopped pistachios.