Method

• 1.
  Place kataifi pastry in a large bowl and pull apart the noodles with your hands. Add melted butter and colouring and mix well with your hands. Divide the mixture in half.
• 2.
  Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease the base and side of a 25cm round, 6-7cm deep oven-proof dish. (The dish needs to be deep enough to fit the layers. Alternatively, you can use a 25cm round cake pan). Spread half of the pastry in the base of the pan and press firmly to flatten. Spread over ricotta followed by the grated mozzarella. Place remaining pastry mixture on top and press firmly. Bake for 40-45 minutes until golden.
• 3.
  Meanwhile, for the syrup, place sugar and 1 1/2 cups (375ml) water in a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring to the boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 8-10 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice and rosewater. Set aside and cool completely.
• 4.
  Remove the knafeh from the oven, pour over cooled syrup and scatter with pistachios. Serve in the pan immediately, or you can serve the knafeh cool, with warm syrup poured over the top.