Knafe

I made up my mind! This time I will do it!" After all ,how hard it can be? If everybody else tried it , then I can surely do it as well."
Those thoughts have been running in my mind for quite a while,I have been thinking about trying to make the famous Arab dessert Knafe or Kunafe as some call it.This Arab sweet is a syrian dessert but it is eaten all over the Arab world.I was always terrified to try making Arab desserts, because somehow they seemed very hard to make.So after looking at other food blogs and watching many videos on how to prepare this delicious dessert, I decided it was time.I couldn't find filo dough so I used the vermicelli noodles instead, the result at the end came out the same.Instead of the sweet Arab cheese, I used mozzarella cheese and Primo sale cheese ( an Italian cheese with no salt that I use for making desserts.)
We ate the whole thing,and I felt so proud to finally make this yummy syrian dessert.

Knafe

Ingredients

1 package Vermicelli noodles
250 gr Mozzarella cheese (hard mozarella)
250 gr Primo sale cheese or any sweet cheese (not cream cheese)
250 gr butter
100 gr ground pistacchios (for garnish)
1 cup water (for syrup)
2 cups sugar (for syrup)

Method
Put the Vermicelli noodles in a hot boiling water and cover for two minutes for softening them.
Take out noodles from water and put in a colander.Let cool for five minutes.
Soften butter and put it on vermicelli noodles and mix. Start to separate noodles from each other to avoid sticking.While doing it , cut the noodles using your fingers in order to form small pieces.
Butter a 22cm pan very well and take half of the vermicelli mixture and place it on the bottom of the pan, press it well with your fingers in order to form a stable base.
Cut the mozzarella cheese and the primo sale cheese into small pieces and cover the base of the pan with it. Put another layer of vermicelli noodles on top of the cheese mixture.
Bake in a preheated oven (170°)for 20-25 minutes or until the vermicelli on top are gloden brown.

In the meanwhile,start preparing syrup, by adding two cups of sugar to one cup water in a small sauce pan. Stir very well until sugar is disolved. Syrup is ready when not too thick and not too liquid. Take off the fire and pour it while still hot on the knafe.Sprinkle pistacchios on top of the knafe for garnish.