Makes: 12

(photo by Alan Benson – SBS Food web-site)

The Greek sweet kataifi is traditionally rolled into cylinders, but Maria uses a muffin pan to make pastry nests instead. You can use any other nuts you like and this is great served with ice-cream or Greek-style yoghurt.

Ingredients

  • 150 g unsalted butter, melted
  • 185 g kataifi pastry (see Note)
  • 150 g (1½ cups) walnuts, roughly chopped
  • 150 g (1 cup) almond kernels, roughly chopped
  • 75 g (⅓ cup) caster sugar
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground cloves
  • 2 tbsp stale breadcrumbs
  • 265 g (¾ cup) honey
  • strawberry spoon sweet (recipe in ebook “A Greekalicious Feast“) to serve

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 12-hole (80 ml) muffin pan with melted butter. Cover the base and side of each mould with kataifi pastry, leaving a well in the centre of each. Brush pastry with remaining butter.Combine nuts, sugar, spices and the crumbs in a large bowl. Place mixture in pastry nests and bake for 20 minutes or until golden.

Meanwhile, place honey in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat. As soon as it starts to simmer, remove from heat and spoon into each nest. Serve kataifi hot or cold.

©2011 Maria Benardis. All Rights Reserved.