Cheese Knafa with Sali Al-Digs for Ramadan
Author: Our Place | April 5, 2022 | Time to read: 6 min
To mark the start of the monthlong holiday, we sat down with content creator and home-cook Sali Al-Digs. She chatted about how she celebrates Ramadan, some of her favorite dishes to make, and how she likes to “Arab-ify” everything she cooks. She also shared her recipe for a delicious, cheesy version of knafa that we can’t wait to make ourselves (and you can watch the video here)!
How does your heritage or culture influence your home cooking?
Sali: "Growing up eating mostly Palestinian/Middle Eastern food, I got used to my food having so much flavor! Now whenever I make any pasta, salad or even avocado toast, it’s a natural instinct to add Middle Eastern spices not even related to the cuisine I’m making. I have to Arab-ify every recipe!"
How do you celebrate Ramadan? What does Ramadan represent and mean to you?
Sali: "Although Ramadan is all about refraining from eating for the majority of the day, a lot of our time is spent planning and making food to break our fast! Most of us don’t eat three-course meals or dessert everyday, but for some reason we insist on doing that during Ramadan. I love testing out new recipes during Ramadan that I randomly crave while fasting! We also love to gather with friends and family to break our fast together, in a potluck style. Everyone makes a dish that we can all enjoy together."
Is there a story behind the recipe you’re making today? How have you made it your own?
Sali: "Knafa is probably the most popular Middle Eastern dessert; there are many variations to it, but the cheese version in my recipe is my favorite. I love the combination of the salty cheese and the sweet syrup. It’s normally baked in the oven, but I’m so excited that I figured out a way to make it using the Always Pan and Flipping Platter for a quicker, easier result!"
What are some of your go-to dishes (besides the one you’re sharing) that you have fond memories of preparing?
Sali: "I love so many Palestinian/Middle Eastern dishes — it’s definitely my most cooked cuisine. I love maqluba, stuffed grape leaves, and mansaf. We make a lot of dishes that require the famous 180º flip!"
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What You'll Need
Ingredients
- 3 cups shredded dough, finely chopped
- 1/3 cup room temperature butter
- Orange food coloring
- 2 cups grated mozzarella
- 1 cup grated fresh mozzarella
- 1 tbsp. room temperature water
- Chopped pistachios, for garnish
- Simple syrup, to drizzle on top
Directions
Step 1
Mix your finely chopped shredded dough with 1/3 cup of room temperature butter with a few drops of orange food coloring.
Step 2
Grate 2 cups of mozzarella and 1 cup of fresh mozzarella. Using paper towels, squeeze out all the moisture from the fresh mozzarella. Mix the cheese all together.
Step 3
Grease the Always Pan with 1 tbsp. of room temperature butter and a few drops of orange food coloring.
Step 4
Add the shredded dough mixture to the Always Pan, packing it down with the bottom of a cup. Then add the cheese, spreading it evenly.
Step 5
Heat the Always Pan to medium or low heat and cover. Cook your knafa for 20 minutes or until the cheese is completely melted and the bottom is a nice golden color. Using the Flipping Platter, flip your knafa over to reveal the gorgeous orange crust.
Step 6
Garnish with chopped pistachios and drizzle the simple syrup on top. Serve immediately while it’s still hot!
