During Greece's carnival season, known as Apokries, there's a sweet tradition that brings joy to every table: kantaifi, also known as kataifi. This beloved dessert made from thin strands of shredded pastry, filled with a delicious mixture of chopped nuts, and generously drizzled with syrup, delights the senses with its crispy texture and rich flavors. Whether enjoyed as a treat during festive gatherings or any other time with a cup of coffee, kantaifi is a cherished symbol of Greek culinary tradition during the carnival season and beyond...
Medium
50 - 60 min
Total: 34 rolls
Ingredients
- 200 g almonds or walnuts, coarsely chopped
- 50 g grated rusk or breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp cinnamon powder
- 1 tsp clove powder
- 500 g shredded phyllo dough (phyllo kantaifi)
- 300 g butter, melted
For the syrup:
- 600 g sugar
- 500 g/ml water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
How to
In a saucepan, add the water, the sugar and the cinnamon stick.
Stir and boil for 10 min (always measure the time from the boiling point). In the last 3 min add the lemon juice.
Let it cool.
In a bowl, mix the almonds, the rusk, the cinnamon and the cloves.
Untangle the phyllo kantaifi very well.
Take a little bit of the phyllo. (I decided to use a scale for the first time and made the large rolls with 20 g of dough and the small rolls with 10 g. While rolling the rolls, cover the dough with a towel so that it doesn't lose its moisture).
Spread the phyllo kantaifi on the counter, add a table spoon of the filling in the centre and roll up into a roll. On smaller rolls, reduce the amount of filling.
Place the rolls on buttered baking sheets, making sure to leave a small gap between the rolls.
Using a brush, drizzle butter over the top and sides of each roll.
Bake in a preheated oven (set to fan) at 320 oF - 160 oC for 50 - 60 min (depending on the intensity of the oven).
Once the kantaifi is out of the oven, syrup it with the cold syrup.
Wait until it has absorbed all the syrup. Once the kantaifi has cooled, it's ready. Enjoy!!!
Note from Greek jar:
The size of the baking sheets you use will depend on the size and number of rolls you make. I used a rectangular baking sheet for the large rolls and a round baking sheet for the small ones.
With these ingredients I made 16 large rolls and 18 small ones. If you want more phyllo kantaifi in each roll, use a larger amount of phyllo and make your own unique kantaifi.