Atayef
Lebanese atayef, airy and slightly sweet middle eastern dessert stuffed with cheese and drizzled with sugar syrup (ater) and crushed pistachios.
Servings 18 servings
Calories 189kcal
Ingredients
Pancake
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup fine semolina
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon instant yeast
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups warm milk
- Cooking spray
Simple Syrup
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon orange blossom water
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Filling
- 1 ½ cup whole milk ricotta
- 1 ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- In a large blender combine the flour, semolina, sugar, baking powder, instant yeast, salt and milk. It should have the consistency of very runny pancakes.
- Cover with a towel, and let the mixture sit in a warm place for 30 minutes. Blend the mixture again and let it rest for 10 more minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the simple syrup. Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved, about 1-2 minutes.
- Stir in the orange blossom water and lemon juice. Pour syrup into a heat proof container and allow to cool.
- When the batter is done resting, heat a non-stick pan on medium heat, then pour 2 tablespoons of the batter onto the pan and you’ll notice the appearance of bubbles.
- Cook until the bubbles dry out and the bottoms become golden, about 2 minutes. Do not flip. (If no bubbles are appearing, add more water or milk since your batter is probably too thick.) Set aside in a warm place covered so they remain moist.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, mozzarella cheese and 2 tablespoons of the prepared simple syrup. Place a heaping tablespoon of the filling into each pancake and pinch the sides together.
- Place the closed atayef on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spray with cooking spray and bake for 40 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Serve immediately, drizzled with simple syrup, if desired.
Notes
Storage: Place in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Nutrition
Calories: 189kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 152mg | Potassium: 112mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 180IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 162mg | Iron: 1mg