Be adventurous: try some Qatayef (Arab pancakes)
Oct 02 '05 (Updated Dec 11 '07)
The Bottom Line Yum!
A while ago I found a recipe for stuffed pancakes in an Arab cookbook, The Arab Table, by May Bsisu. It called for very plain pancakes stuffed with very sugary nut and fruit fillings, which were then deep fried and plunged into a bowl of simple syrup. These apparently are a dessert particular to Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting.
I didn't wait for Ramadan. But since I like my desserts on the less sweet side, and don't have a deep fryer, I modified the recipe. My fillings don't have any added sugar; the stuffed pancakes are pan-fried and then drizzled with a little honey. I thought they were sweet enough that way. My guests loved these and they disappeared quickly. Everyone had different opinions about which of the three fillings was the best.
So these qatayef might not be entirely traditional, but I think they're pretty good. You can find the fine semolina and the flower waters called for in this recipe in most Middle Eastern markets. Because the tastes of these sweets are quite delicate, I recommend using a very light colored and clear honey to finish them. I like acacia honey for this purpose, but any very light honey should work.
Arab Pancakes (Qatayef)
For the pancakes:
1 tsp. active dry yeast
½ tsp. sugar
1½ cups warm water
1 cup flour
1 cup fine semolina
1 Tbsp. powdered whole milk
½ tsp. baking soda
dash of salt
1 egg, well beaten
You will also need a non-stick skillet to prepare the pancakes.
For the fillings:
1 cup lightly toasted slivered almonds
1½ cups chopped dried figs
1½ tsp. orange blossom water
OR
1 cup lightly toasted walnuts
1½ cups chopped dried dates
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
1½ tsp. orange blossom water
OR
1½ cups fresh ricotta, drained for 1-2 hours
½ cup fresh mozzarella, chopped
1½ tsp. orange blossom water
pinch of salt
You will also need vegetable oil and honey to finish the pancakes.
Prepare the batter: Combine the yeast, sugar and ¼ cup of the warm water in a small bowl. Set it aside until foamy. Meanwhile, combine the flour and semolina, the powdered milk, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Gradually add the remaining 1¼ cups warm water and beaten egg to the dry ingredients. Mix thoroughly to combine very well, then add the yeast mixture, stirring a few more times. Cover the bowl with a clean towel and set aside at room temperature for three hours.
Prepare either one of the fruit fillings by placing the ingredients together in the bowl of a food processor and pulsing until a coarse mixture forms, or just chop the hell out of everything with a chef's knife. For the cheese filling, just mix everything by hand. The filling or fillings can be made a day or two ahead.
Prepare the pancakes: Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Using a ½ cup measuring cup, pour ¼ cup of the batter into the skillet from 8" above the surface. Pouring from this height helps ensure well-rounded pancakes. The batter should spread to a diameter of 5"-6", forming a thin pancake, and small bubbles should form very quickly all over the top surface. If the batter is too thick to do this, add more water until the pancakes form in this way. When the bubbles have formed and the surface of the pancake is still pale but has lost all of its wet sheen, it is done. Do not flip the pancakes, but remove them to a plate in single layers with a sheet of plastic wrap or wax paper between each layer. Cook all the batter in this way and cover the pancakes so that they do not dry out. Pancakes can be held for about 12 hours before assembling further.
Fill the pancakes: Take a pancake in one hand, holding it with the bubbly side facing up, the cooked side against your hand. Place a heaping tablespoon of filling in the center of it with your other hand. Fold the pancake in half to form a half-moon shape, pinching the moist edges of the pancake together to seal them. Place the filled pancake on a plate and repeat until all the pancakes and filling are used up. Keep the filled pancakes covered until you are ready to serve them.
Fry the pancakes immediately before serving: in a non-stick skillet heat ¼" of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is very hot, fry as many filled pancakes as will easily fit in the skillet without crowding. Fry the pancakes for a minute or two on each side, so that they brown nicely but do not burn. When cooked on both sides, remove them to a plate and use a teaspoon to drizzle honey on one side of each pancake. Fry the remaining pancakes, adding more oil to the pan as needed, and serve immediately.
Enjoy these, and please let me know if you come up with any other variations!
More of my favorite recipes can be found here:
• Fregolota - a "crumbly," not-too-sweet dessert from the Veneto
• Umbrian Lentils - Not quite a soup, simply divine
• Perfect Roast Chicken - yep: perfect, every single time
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