Tracing The Origins Of Kunafa, The Popular Middle Eastern Dessert

Desserts are easily the most luxurious part of any cuisine around the world. Every culture or demographic has its own desserts that make it special and different from the others. Middle Eastern cuisine is also famous for its sweet dishes, and kunafa is one of them. It is also known as knafeh popularly. This lovely dessert is not only a treat for your taste buds but also for your eyes. It resembles a pizza while also featuring a beautiful cheese or creamy pull, depending on what is used for its filling.

You simply cannot go wrong with this dessert, and it is perfect for grand celebrations, but you can also make this whenever you feel like following the Kunafa recipe because it is so delicious. So, before we get into the details of Kunafa's origin, let's learn what exactly this dessert is all about.

What Is Kunafa?

Kunafa is a sugar-soaked pastry popular in many Arab nations and one of the most beloved Middle Eastern desserts. Though the specific preparation and spelling of the word vary by area, most kunafas are stacked or filled with either cheese or cream, then steeped in a sugar syrup perfumed with rose water or orange blossom water and topped with crushed nuts such as pistachios.

The dessert is typically made with kataifi, which are long, thin strands of shredded phyllo dough. In reality, the term kunafa is used to designate both the dessert and the dough. The dough is frequently fried or cooked till crisp using butter or oil. In certain versions, the kunafa is created with a thick, cake-like semolina dough rather than flour.

Kunafa Origin: Arabic Roots Or Coptic Origins?

Just like the kunafa origin, debate continues over the name as well. Based on the Arabic school of thought, the name came from the Arabic root k-n-f, which means ‘to flank’, or ‘enclose’. This describes how the dough in Kunafa wraps around the cheese or cream filling. However, theories that support the Coptic origin of the name suggest that the word came from the Coptic Egyptian term ‘kenephiten’, which refers to a type of loaf or cake.

Kunafa Origin: Egypt or the Levant?

Nablus, a Palestinian city in modern-day West Bank, is unquestionably the origin of kunafa. Some accounts claim it dates back to the Umayyad period, when it was eaten as a full suhoor meal (the morning meal before fasting for Ramadan begins) in Damascus, while others claim it originated in 15th-century Egypt.

Popular in the Arab world, particularly the Levant, Egypt, and, of course, Palestine, other varieties of knafeh can also be found in Turkey, Greece, and the Balkans.

The sweet dish, prepared from vermicelli-like dough soaked in sugar syrup, covered with soft cheese, sprinkled with rosewater or orange blossom, and topped with pistachios, has a long history that predates the conflict between Israel and Palestine. Nablus, being 30 miles from Jerusalem, cooks up a brilliant orange variation of knafeh with a local white cheese called 'jibneh Nabulsi'.

However, the kunafa origin has been contested by Israel, which has claimed knafeh as its own, without acknowledging Palestine for its development, causing many difficulties.

Despite its proclivity to incite disagreement, knafeh is also viewed as a symbol of goodwill once a conflict has been resolved and is prepared to assist in coping with loss when someone has died, as well as during happy times when someone accomplishes a significant milestone.

The Fatimid Caliphate Theory

The kunafa dish's origin is as layered as it could be. The region, being a melting pot of many cultures, has many claims over who made it first. According to the Fatimid Caliphate Theory, the delicious dessert was first made in 10th-century Egypt for the Caliphs during Ramadan. The root of the dessert is also associated with the ruler Mu'izz li-Din Allah, who sought it for breaking his fast during Ramadan.

The Umayyad Dynasty Legend

This theory points to the Syrian capital Damascus as the place of origin. It is widely believed that the dessert originated during the Umayyad Caliphate in661-750 CE as the pre-dawn meal for the first Umayyad Caliph, Muawiya, during Ramadan nights.

Regional Variations of Kunafa

People from all over the world have discovered various ways to change kunafa due to the length of time it has been prepared. Different spellings of the word are used in different nations, including knafeh, konafa, kunefe, kenafe, knefeh, and kunafa, with the kunafa origin root word being 'kanaf', meaning 'to shelter or protect' in Arabic. This word was most likely chosen to refer to the two layers of dough that hold the cheese between them. As a result, there are numerous varieties. Each country or location has a unique variety of kunafa, with some supplying more than one.

Knafeh Nabulseyeh

With its established origin in the Palestinian city of Nablus, this variety of Kunafa features a warm, cheesy base carefully encased within a crunchy, orange-dyed shredded pastry (katayif). Soaked in aromatic sugar syrup for that signature sweetness, it is often garnished with chopped pistachios.

Künefe

In Turkey, the same dish is known as Künefe. The pastry is made individually in small silver molds. Dil peyniri is a Turkish cheese used as one of the ingredients, as opposed to akkawi, a Palestinian cheese. Dil peyniri is made in Turkey from unsalted milk from cows and sheep. This country's people prefer topping kunefe with kaymak, a sweet whipped cream.

Knafeh Ghazawiya

While the other variations are mostly sweet in taste, this version, hailing from Gaza, brings in a savory-sweet spin to the classic recipe. Instead of a regular creamy cheesy filling, it includes a filling of mixed nuts, while the dough is still made of semolina for that rustic, aromatic touch.

Lebanese Kunafa

In Lebanon, the dessert is known as knefeh-bi-jibn. The components include mozzarella and wheat semolina steeped in syrup flavored with orange blossom.

People in Lebanon frequently eat kanafeh for breakfast, along with sesame seed kaakeh, a traditional type of bread roll.

Jordanian Kunafa

In Jordan, this pastry is known as kanafa. To give a melting, creamy, and rich texture, the dish is made with a blend of mozzarella and ricotta. People in the country like to top their bread with a mixture of raisins, nuts, and almonds.

The Art of Making Kunafa: Ingredients and Techniques

The popular Middle Eastern dessert is made with a crispy, shredded pastry called kataifi or kunafa dough. It is a special pastry dough made from delicate shredded phyllo strands. Once prepared, the phyllo dough is assembled into nests and brushed with butter. Wondering what kunafa is made of? The main ingredients of the dessert are shredded kataifi dough, melted butter or ghee, a rich filling of cheese or cream, a scented sugar syrup, and chopped pistachios. Curious about how to make Kunafa at home? Here’s the Kunafa recipe.

Step 1: In this recipe, the kataifi dough forms the base of the dessert, which is soaked in butter or ghee before baking. Traditionally, ghee is used for this Kunafa recipe. Experts mostly recommend ghee owing to its flavor and richness.

Step 2: Once the base is ready, it is filled with a sweet, soft cheese or cream and baked until golden.

Step 3: Next, the baked Kunafa is soaked in a sweet sugar syrup. Often, a variation of taste is added to the sweet and buttery dessert with some rosewater.

Step 4:For garnishing, chopped pistachios and other nuts are used, which lend a crunchy texture to it.

Khishnah vs. Na'ameh Dough

Knafeh comes in two varieties. 'Khishneh' has a coarser texture and is topped with shredded phyllo dough (kataifi). The other type is 'na'ameh,' which is smoother and covered with ground semolina dough (farkeh). The sort of cheese differs according to geography.

Kunafa Cheese: Nabulsi vs Akkawi

The cheesy, creamy filling is the heart of Kunafa. And when it comes to making the filling, the top two choices for cheese are Nablusi and Akkawi cheese. While technically both belong to the category of traditional Middle Eastern, white, brined cheeses, the differences are distinct in texture, saltiness, and usage. Nabulsi cheese features a firm texture paired with higher salt content. Akkawi, on the other hand, is a softer, milder, and mellower version of cheese. Both need to be soaked in water for several hours before using. If these cheeses are unavailable, one may simply use low-moisture mozzarella or a mix of mozzarella and ricotta as a substitute.

How Kunafa Fits In Modern Celebrations

With its creation largely associated with the holy month of Ramadan, the popularity of Kunafa, over the centuries, has lifted it to the status of a global dessert phenomenon. Enjoyed by people across the globe, this is no longer a dessert meant for Iftar only. Owing to this smooth evolution, today, Kunafa is a celebrated culinary symbol of joy, prosperity, and hospitality.

Besides Ramadan and Eid, it is lovingly consumed during special occasions like weddings, outings, and get-togethers. And, when it comes to sharing joy, very few desserts can match the deliciousness of a large tray of hot, stretchy, cheesy kunafa.