Walnut and Pistachio Kataifi

Method

Golden pastry nests, crispy on the outside and tender at the core. The scent of cinnamon and cloves blends with the crunch of walnuts and pistachios under a glossy honey syrup.

1. 1

   In a saucepan, combine mineral water, white sugar, cloves, and sliced lemon. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes until the liquid lightly coats the back of a spoon. Stir in the honey off the heat and let it cool completely.

2. 2

   Coarsely chop the walnuts and pistachios with a knife to maintain texture. Mix the nuts with the cinnamon in a bowl. The scent of the spices should be prominent.

3. 3

   Melt the butter. Gently unravel the kataifi pastry strands in a large bowl to aerate the fibers. Drizzle with melted butter and mix by hand so every strand is well-coated and glossy.

4. 4

   Take a small lock of buttered pastry. Place a spoonful of filling at one end and roll tightly to form a small cylinder. Arrange the nests tightly against each other in a baking dish.

5. 5

   Bake at 160°C for about 45 minutes. The browning should be slow: the nests must become uniformly golden and amber, indicating they are crispy all the way to the center.

6. 6

   Straight out of the oven, immediately pour the cold syrup over the hot pastries. The sizzling sound from the thermal shock ensures the syrup penetrates without making the pastry soggy. Let rest for at least 6 hours before serving.