Kataifi Rolls with Caramelized Pears and Warm Spices
 
Prep time
Cook time
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A delicious dessert with caramelized pears, dried cranberries, walnuts, warm spices and crispy kataifi pastry! Easy to make ahead of time and enjoy it when you want!
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Serves: 10
Ingredients
  • For the kataifi rolls:
  • 8-10 oz. kataifi pastry, defrosted overnight (roughly half of a 1 pound box)
  • ½ cup butter, melted (to brush on the kataifi)
  • 3-4 ripe-but-firm pears (about 1lb. 2oz. I used a combination of Bosc and Bartlett)
  • 2 TBSP. butter
  • 2 TBSPS. brown sugar
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp. ground cloves
  • 1 small cinnamon stick
  • 1 Star anise (optional)
  • 3 TBSP. dried cranberries
  • 1 tsp. cornflour
  • 3 TBSP. walnuts, chopped (optional)
  • For the Simple syrup:
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 2 small lemon peels
  • ¼ cup honey
  • Topping:
  • 2-3 TBSP. pistachio nuts, finely chopped
Instructions
  1. Prepare the pastry: Remove the thawed kataifi pastry from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature for a least an hour, leaving it in its plastic sleeve.
  2. Make the simple syrup: Place a small saucepan over medium heat, add all the ingredients for the syrup and bring them to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 6 minutes or until the syrup is slightly reduced. Remove from the heat and let it cool completely.
  3. Prep the apples and make the pear filling Wash and core the pears. Peel them (you can leave some of the skin on if it is soft) and then cut them into small, ½” pieces. Place a skillet over medium heat, add 2 TBSP of the butter and when it is melted stir in the pears, the sugar, the spices and the cranberries. Cook gently for about 6 minutes, stirring every now and then, until the pears are soft (but not mushy). Remove from the heat, stir in the cornflour and the chopped walnuts, and let cool.
  4. Preheat the oven: Set the oven to 350° F.
  5. Assemble the first kataifi roll:. Remove the kataifi from the package and gently untangle it. Tear off a small portion of kataifi and with scissors cut it into a strand roughly 10” long by 2½” wide. Slightly separate the threads to form the base of the first kataifi roll. Drizzle the kataifi strip with some melted butter and place a heaping TBSP. of the pear and spice mixture across the kataifi base. Roll the kataifi upwards gently to enclose the filling, tucking in the sides as you roll.
  6. Assemble the rest of the rolls: Continue with more kataifi and more filling to form 9 more rolls. Lightly wet your hands and squeeze each roll to ensure the pastry binds together and holds its shape during cooking. Place the assembled rolls on a buttered baking dish, leaving a little space between the rolls. Brush the tops with some melted butter.
  7. Bake: Place the baking dish on the middle rack of the oven and bake for about 40 minutes, until the kataifi turns a nice golden color. The minute it is out of the oven, pour most of the cooled simple syrup and sprinkle with some pistachio nuts. It will look like a lot but, as it sits, it will be absorbed by the pastry. Allow it to cool completely before serving.
Notes
You will only need about half of the kataifi pastry that comes in the usual 1 pound box for this recipe. The leftover kataifi pastry can be wrapped up well and placed back in its package in the refrigerator to use within two weeks.

If there are leftover filling, save it to serve over warm oatmeal!
Recipe by Marilena's Kitchen at https://marilenaskitchen.com/kataifi-rolls-with-caramelized-pears-and-warm-spices/