Dessert

Ekmek kataifi with fig-leaf syrup, roasted figs

Name: Ekmek kataifi with fig-leaf syrup, roasted figs
Yield: 10
Ingredients: 375g fresh kataifi pastry (from Greek food shops and good grocers); 150g ghee, melted, cooled; 2 cups (500ml) cold-pressed raw milk (from good grocers – substitute regular milk); 200ml thickened cream; 2 eggs, lightly beaten; 100g caster sugar, plus extra 500g; Scraped seeds of 1 vanilla bean; 100g fine semolina; 15 fig leaves (from good florists – if unavailable use ½ fig); ½ tsp citric acid (from baking section of supermarkets); 6 large ripe black figs, torn in half; 1 tbs extra virgin olive oil; Icing sugar; Finely chopped toasted pistachios

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https://healthimprovements.info/recipes/ekmek-kataifi-fig-leaf-syrup-roasted-figs/x5ptnep7 — Ekmek kataifi with fig-leaf syrup, roasted figs

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by George Calombaris

Apr 07, 2019

A traditional Greek dessert, perfect for Easter celebrations.

375g fresh kataifi pastry (from Greek food shops and good grocers)
150g ghee, melted, cooled
2 cups (500ml) cold-pressed raw milk (from good grocers – substitute regular milk)
200ml thickened cream
2 eggs, lightly beaten
100g caster sugar, plus extra 500g
Scraped seeds of 1 vanilla bean
100g fine semolina
15 fig leaves (from good florists – if unavailable use ½ fig)
½ tsp citric acid (from baking section of supermarkets)
6 large ripe black figs, torn in half
1 tbs extra virgin olive oil

To serve

Icing sugar
Finely chopped toasted pistachios

Method

1.

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Pull kataifi pastry apart into strands, place in a bowl and toss ghee through to coat evenly. Wrap pastry around cannoli tubes and squeeze to press strands together (or form shallow nests of pastry in 12-hole cupcake pan).
2.

Place on a baking tray and bake, rotating tubes occasionally if using cannoli tubes, for about 15 minutes or until golden-brown all over (bake for around 20 minutes if using cupcake pan). Cool on a wire rack. Once cool enough to handle, remove cannoli tubes.
3.

In a bowl, whisk milk, cream, eggs, caster sugar, vanilla seeds, semolina and a pinch of salt flakes until smooth. Strain into a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring continuously, for 8-10 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat, cover surface directly with plastic wrap and chill until completely cooled. Transfer cooled custard to a piping bag fitted with a 1cm plain nozzle and set aside.
4.

Thoroughly wash fig leaves, if using, then place in a saucepan with 700ml water and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover with a lid and simmer very gently for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, strain liquid into a clean saucepan and discard fig leaves. (If you can’t find fig leaves, add half a fig to infuse syrup, then strain.) Add extra sugar and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve sugar as fig water comes to the boil. Cook, without stirring, for 12 minutes or until mixture is reduced slightly. Whisk in citric acid and cook for a further 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Chill until needed.
5.

Preheat the oven to 220°C. Grease a baking tray and line with baking paper. Arrange figs on tray. Brush lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with a small pinch of sea salt. Bake for 4 minutes or until just softened. Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature.
6.

To serve, pipe each kataifi tube full of custard and arrange on a serving platter. Dust with icing sugar and arrange fig halves alongside. Drizzle with some of the fig leaf syrup and sprinkle with pistachios to serve.