Kataifi (shredded filo) pastry

What it is

Kataifi is a batter of flour and water drizzled through fine nozzles onto a hot rotating plate, producing tangled, hair-thin strands that are sold fresh or frozen. Pulled apart, tossed with butter or ghee and baked, it turns golden and crunchy. It is used for syrup-soaked sweets such as kunafa (with cheese) and kadayıf, and for crisp savoury wraps.

How it’s used

• Kunafa/künefe with melting cheese and syrup
• Tel kadayıf rolls with nuts
• Nests for cream or nuts
• Wrapping prawns or cheese for frying or baking

Characteristics

Storage

Frozen. Keep frozen and thaw sealed in the fridge; once thawed, it dries out quickly.

Diet, allergens and safety

Contains Wheat, Gluten.

• Vegetarian
• Vegan
• Dairy-free
• Egg-free
• Gluten-free
• Nut-free
• Soy-free
• Caffeine-free

• Contains wheat and gluten; unsuitable for people with coeliac disease or a wheat allergy.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy

299 kcal

Protein

7.1 g

Carbohydrate

52.6 g

Fat

6 g

Fibre

1.9 g

Sugars

0.18 g

USDA FoodData Central: Phyllo dough (a close stand-in).

Related ingredients

More pastry & wrappers

• FP

  Pastry & wrappers

  Filo pastry

  Paper-thin sheets of unleavened wheat dough, brushed with fat and layered to bake shatteringly crisp.

  12 recipes

• AB

  Pastry & wrappers

  All-butter puff pastry

  Pastry laminated with many layers of butter that steam apart in the oven into tall, flaky, buttery leaves.

  9 recipes

• WD

  Pastry & wrappers

  Wonton / dumpling wrappers

  Thin squares or rounds of wheat and egg dough for wontons, gyoza, dumplings and cups.

  7 recipes

• 

  Pastry & wrappers

  Rice paper wrappers

  Brittle, translucent rice sheets with a crosshatch pattern that soften in water to wrap fresh or fried rolls.

  2 recipes

• SR

  Pastry & wrappers

  Spring roll wrappers (wheat)

  Very thin wheat-flour sheets that fry into crisp, blistered spring rolls and lumpia.

  3 recipes