Konafa Ashta

[Olga Drozd]

Konafa Ashta

Shell:

1 pound Shredded Fillo Dough pastry
2 sticks unsalted butter, melted

Cream Filling:

4 tablespoons cream of rice (or finely ground rice)
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cups milk
2 cups milk
1/2 cup heavy cream

Syrup:

1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon rose water, or orange blossom

Prepare the cream filling by mixing the cream of rice, sugar and 1/2 cup milk to form a smooth paste.

Bring the 2 cups milk to a boil, then add the rice paste to the boiling milk slowly with continuous stirring.

Let simmer with continuous stirring until very thick. Ensure that it does not lump or stick to the bottom of the pan.

Allow the milk mixture to cool, then add the heavy cream.
Mix well.

Prepare the syrup by stirring the sugar, water and lemon juice over medium heat until thick to the point that it coats the metal spoon.

Add rose water and cook with stirring for a few more minutes until well mixed.

Remove from heat and cool slightly in the refrigerator.

To prepare the Konafa, pull out and separate half Konafa pastry strands.

Pour half of the melted butter over the konafa pastry. Work the pastry to ensure that each strand is coated with the butter.

Spread the pastry on the bottom of a 9x9x2 inches oven dish.

Pour cream filling on the pastry.

Cover the cream filling with the rest of the pastry strands using the same method described above.

Bake in an oven at 350 for about 10-15 minutes, or until slightly golden in color.

Remove from the oven and immediately pour the cold syrup over the hot Konafa.

Serve hot or cold.