Qatayef


Qatayef or Katayef is an Arab dessert commonly served during the month of Ramadan, a sort of sweet dumpling filled with cream or nuts. It can be described as folded pancake.

Etymology

The Arabic word Qatayef is derived from the Arabic root qtf, meaning to pick up or to pluck

Origin and history

Qatayef is believed of Fatimid origin. Some believe that Qatayef are the creation of the Fatimid Dynasty, however, their history dates back to the Abbasid Caliphate, 750-1258 CE. Qatayef was mentioned in a tenth century Arabic cookbook dates back to the Abbasid Caliphate by Ibn Sayyar al-Warraq called Kitab al-Ṭabīḫ. The book was later translated by Nawal Nasrallah, and named it. Qatayef was traditionally prepared by street vendors as well as households in the Levant and Egypt. It is usually prepared using Akkawi cheese as a filling.

Preparation

Qatayef is the general name of the dessert as a whole, but more specifically, the batter.
It is usually made out of flour, baking powder, water, yeast, and sometimes sugar is added. The result of the batter being poured onto a round hot plate appears similar to pancakes, except only one side is cooked, then stuffed and folded. The pastry is filled with either unsalted sweet cheese a mixture of any of hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds, pistachios, raisins, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, roses extract and cinnamon. It is then deep-fried or, less commonly, baked and served with a hot sweet syrup or sometimes honey.
Another way of serving Qatayef is by filling it with whipped cream or Qishta clotted cream, folded half way and served with scented syrup without any frying or baking. This way of serving is called Assafiri Qatayef.