Ekmek

By John, 28 July, 2014
Region
Greece
Description

Ekmek, aka Armenian Home KadaifThis heavy pastry is middle-eastern. I have been told it is Armenian, Greek, Lebanese, and Turkish. Whoever invented it deserves a prize!

This is sweet, but not super-sweet. It's great with tea or coffee after a light middle-eastern dinner in the summer.  

Yield
16 Servings
Preparation time
45 minutes
Ingredients
2 c Sugar
1 1⁄2 c Water
1⁄3 c Milk
1⁄3 c cornstarch
1 lb Kadaif
12 T Butter (Melted)
1 q Heavy Cream
1 T Lemon Juice (or Rose Water)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 450. Butter an 8x8-inch square or a 9-inch round baking pan.
  2. Boil up a syrup with the sugar and water and let it cool. Flavor it with the lemon juice or rosewater.
  3. Stir the milk and cornstarch together into a paste.
  4. In a big bowl, fluff up the Kadaif and toss it with the melted butter. Put half of it in the baking pan.
  5. Heat the cream until is just begins to boil. Stir in the cornstarch mixture and stir well as it thickens. When it starts to boil again, remove it from the heat.
  6. Pour the hot cream mixture over the kadaif in the pan. Top it with the remaining kadaif.
  7. Bake at 450 for 20-25 minutes, until the top turns golden.
  8. Pour the syrup evenly all over the hot pastry.
  9. Allow to cool before serving.   
Notes
Kadaif is a sort of shredded fillo, that looks like angelhair pasta. You can get Kadaif in the freezer case at middle-eastern markets. I get it at Bahnan's Market in Worcester.