Ramadan recipe: qatayef – Middle Eastern stuffed pancakes

Throughout the holy month, The National is teaming up with Table Tales to share daily recipes to experiment with at home

Qatayef pancakes are typically stuffed with nuts, sugar, qashta (clotted cream). Victor Besa / The National

Join The National and Table Tales on a culinary journey around the Middle East to savour the quintessential dishes that embody the spirit of Ramadan. From table staples to family favourites, this series of recipes – one for each day of Ramadan – pays homage to the holy month and the home cook alike.

Qatayef is a strong contender on both iftar and suhoor tables. Typically stuffed with nuts, qashta (clotted cream) or cheese, it is a versatile dessert, as it can also work as a savoury appetiser. It is said that qatayef has its origins in the Fatimid Dynasty, and some books also linked it to the Abbasid Caliphate.

Qatayef it is a versatile dessert, but it can also work as a savoury appetiser

Hanan Sayed Worrell, of Tables Tales, says: “For some reason, we go all year without having these delicious stuffed pancakes. Then in Ramadan we can’t seem to have enough.

“Living in the Arab world, the qatayef dough is abundant at sweetmaker shops and grocery stores, so it is easy to buy them and prepare the filling at home. But there is satisfaction in mixing the batter to the right consistency, then pouring it on a hot – but not too hot – griddle, watching as the right amount of pores start forming on the surface, and then whisking it off the heat just in time, before it dries out. Unlike pancakes, qatayef are cooked on one side only, leaving the porous side ready to absorb the filling.”

Recipe contributor Nisreen Bajis says: “No Ramadan sweets menu is complete without these half-moon-shaped delights. Qatayef is an indulgent, sticky and quintessential dessert during the holy month, filled in this recipe with cinnamon-spiced walnuts and akkawi cheese.”

Qatayef pancakes by Nisreen Bajis. Victor Besa / The National

Qatayef is cooked on one side only, leaving the porous side ready to absorb the filling. Victor Besa / The National

The qatayef is folded in the shape of a taco and filled with walnuts, and other chosen fillings. Victor Besa / The National

The stuffing is sealed in by hand. Victor Besa / The National

The qatayef is then fired on each side until golden brown. Victor Besa / The National

Qatayef pancakes are typically stuffed with nuts, sugar, qashta (clotted cream). Victor Besa / The National

The qatayef is drizzled with the now-cool sugar syrup. Victor Besa / The National

They are best eaten straight away. Victor Besa / The National

Nisreen Bajis's qatayef – stuffed pancakes

Makes 15 to 20

Ingredients for the batter:

• 3 cups lukewarm water
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup semolina
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp rose water
• Oil for frying

Ingredients for the sugar syrup:

• 2 cup water
• 3 cups caster sugar
• 1½ tsp lemon juice
• 1½ tsp rose water

Ingredients for the walnut filling:

• 1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 3 tsp caster sugar
• 2 tsp rose water

Ingredients for the cheese filling:

• 200-250g akkawi cheese, washed a few times and then soaked overnight in water, drained and roughly chopped

Method: 

1. Place all the batter ingredients in a blender, starting with the water. Blend for 3-4 minutes scraping the sides of the jug as you go. Set the batter aside for 30 minutes to rise.
2. Heat a non-stick pan and pour a quarter of a cup of the batter in the middle. The batter will bubble and once it is no longer wet, you can remove from the pan. Place the qatayef on a tray and cover with a clean towel until ready to fill.
3. To make the sugar syrup, place water and sugar in a small pot over medium to high heat until the sugar melts and bubbles. Turn the heat down to medium-low and let it simmer for five minutes.
4. Add the lemon juice and let it simmer for a further two to three minutes.
5. Remove from the heat and stir through the rose water. The syrup should be the consistency of honey. Set aside to cool.
6. When ready to fill, fold the qatayef in the shape of a taco and place 2-3 teaspoons of the walnuts (rolled in the ingredients listed under walnut filling) and/or cheese inside, then close the qatayef by pressing down the edges.
7. In a pan, heat at least a centimetre of oil. Place the filled qatayef in the pan and fry on each side until golden brown. Remove and place on a plate lined with kitchen paper towels to remove the excess oil.
8. Place the qatayef on your serving plate and drizzle with the now-cool sugar syrup. Serve immediately.

This dish has been brought to you by Nisreen Bajis and curated by international recipe hunter Hanan Sayed Worrell, author of Table Tales: The Global Nomad Cuisine of Abu Dhabi. The Table Tales concept celebrates the people and stories that give flavour to recipes of the Middle East. 

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More desserts in the Ramadan recipe collection: 

Ramadan recipe: kunafa with cream

Ramadan recipe: luqaimat – sweet dumplings

Ramadan recipe: aniseed cake with tahini glaze

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