Knafeh

Method

1. 1 Soak the feta cheese in cold water for 2 hours, changing the water three times until the flavor is completely diluted, then mix it with mozzarella.
2. 2 Finely shred the kadayif fibers and mix them with melted butter and achiote — the reddish-orange color of the achiote is a distinguishing feature of knafeh Nablus.
3. 3 Press half of the shredded cheese to cover the bottom of the large tray, spread the cheese on top, then cover with the remaining shredded cheese and press firmly.
4. 4 Bake at 200 degrees for 30 minutes, or until the edges of the baking tray are bubbly and the top of the cake is reddish-brown.
5. 5 Cook a sugar syrup with lemon and orange blossom water, then pour it hot over the freshly baked cake. Invert the tray and slice while the cheese is still stringy.

With an appliance

• Air fryer 50 min

  Replace step 4: spray a thin layer of oil onto the sides of the mold, use a 215-degree hot air oven for 20 minutes, rotate the tray at minute 10; divide into two smaller molds because the oven cannot accommodate a large mold. The strong airflow shortens the time by about one-third compared to a conventional oven and browns the surface faster.