# What You Need:
→ Cheese Filling
01 - 14 oz Akawi cheese or unsalted mozzarella, soaked and drained
02 - 7 oz ricotta cheese
→ Pastry
03 - 9 oz kataifi (shredded phyllo dough), thawed
04 - 7 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
→ Syrup
05 - 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
06 - 3/4 cup water
07 - 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
08 - 1 tbsp orange blossom water
09 - 1 tbsp rose water
→ Garnish
10 - 2 tbsp finely chopped pistachios
11 - 1 tbsp honey (optional, for drizzling)
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F.
02 - Soak Akawi cheese in water for several hours or overnight, changing water every hour to remove excess salt. Drain, pat dry, then shred or thinly slice.
03 - Mix soaked Akawi (or mozzarella) and ricotta cheese in a bowl until evenly blended. Set aside.
04 - Place thawed kataifi pastry strands in a large bowl. Pour melted butter over and gently separate and mix until all strands are coated evenly.
05 - Grease a 9-inch round baking dish. Press half of the buttered kataifi evenly onto the bottom to form a compact base.
06 - Spread cheese mixture evenly over the kataifi base.
07 - Arrange remaining buttered kataifi over the cheese, pressing down gently to compact the layers.
08 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the pastry turns golden brown and crisp.
09 - While baking, combine sugar, water, and lemon juice in a saucepan. Bring to boil, then simmer 8 to 10 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in orange blossom and rose water. Allow syrup to cool.
10 - Remove pastry from oven and immediately invert onto a serving platter. Pour half of the cooled syrup evenly over the hot dessert. Garnish with chopped pistachios and drizzle with honey if desired. Serve warm with remaining syrup on the side.
