27 September, 2021
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An Arab dessert that combines the flavor of cheese with the sweetness of syrup, resembling Italian ravioli, but its filling is sweet based on cheese or prepared dried fruits flavored with common Middle Eastern spices, cardamom and cinnamon.
The word qatayef has its Arabic origin from the verb qataf, which means to gather. Initially, it was thought that qatayef was created during the Fatimid period, but the latest records indicate that it originated around the year 566 to 653, during the Abbasid Caliphate.
Qatayef, also known as katayef or Middle Eastern pancake, was traditionally prepared by street vendors and families from the Levant and Egypt; the filling was typically made with Akkawi cheese. Interestingly, in Arab countries, when the term qatyef is used, it refers to the dough made from flour, baking powder, water, a bit of yeast, and optionally sugar if preferred.
The filling is prepared with unsalted cheese or a mixture of dried fruits with sugar, vanilla, and rose extract. It is a sweet that is fried and sometimes baked, then drizzled with honey or served with whipped cream.
The version that is simply folded and soaked in fragrant syrup is known as assafiri qatayef. There are many variations of this dessert in terms of shape and filling. The most characteristic shape is that of a crescent moon, which has represented the symbol of Islam since the 12th century, characterized by being crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
