Fall is prime pear season and this often overlooked fruit is perfect in fall desserts, now that they are at their peak of sweetness, juiciness, and flavor. In this recipe for Kataifi Rolls with Caramelized Pears and Warm Spices, I use kataifi pastry to enclose a pear, cranberry and spice filling and then a honey simple syrup to drizzle over the baked treats! The result is a crispy, golden, syrupy, two-bite dessert!
Most of us are familiar with filo pastry and its many popular savory and sweet preparations. Kataifi is its slightly lesser-known cousin and has a distinctive crispy texture and “Shredded Wheat” look. It is used in a similar way to filo to make delicious syrupy desserts and crispy savory dishes throughout the southern Mediterranean, the Balkans, and the Middle East.
Ingredients for the Kataifi Rolls with Caramelized Pears and Warm Spices
- Kataifi filo dough: good quality kataifi will make working with it easy. My favorite is from Fillo Factory, which comes in a standard 1 lb. box
- Pears: choose ripe but still firm pears of any variety you like (I used a mixture of Bartlett and Bosc pears in this recipe)
- Butter: melted, to brush the strands of kataifi generously before and after filling
- Sugar: to help caramelize the pears and some more for the simple syrup
- Warm Spices: for depth of flavor. I used cinnamon, cloves, and star anise here
- Cranberries: add some tartness to the sweet pear filling
- Walnuts: optional, but they add some crunch
- Cornstarch: helps thicken the pear filling
- Simple Syrup: made with water, sugar, honey, a cinnamon stick and lemon zest
- Pistachio nuts: as a topping for an added crunch
Bartlett & Bosc Fall Pears
Tips for working with kataifi
Kataifi, is known as “shredded filo dough”, but in really it is an extruded pastry that resembles long strands of soft shredded wheat. It is made with a simple mixture of flour, cornstarch, salt, water, and oil which is turned into a thin batter then spun to form these very thin strands.
Kataifi can be found in the freezer section of most supermarkets, or, in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern specialty stores. Here are some tips to make working with kataifi easier!
- Thaw overnight: as it is the case with filo dough, kataifi needs to be thawed before using; the best way is an overnight stay in the refrigerator. The next day, take the box out of the refrigerator, leave it at room temperature for an hour or so, and it will become soft, pliable and ready to use
- Loosen the strands: remove the kataifi from the package, spread it onto a clean surface, and gently loosen and separate the long strands with your fingertips
- Keep it covered while you work: kataifi dries out very quickly, so it is best not to expose it to air. While you work with a bundle of kataifi, cover the rest well so it does not dry out
- Moisten: kataifi has almost no fat, so it is important to brush the strands generously with melted butter before and after filling
- Refrigerate: what you do not use. If there is any unused kataifi, wrap it tightly and return in the refrigerator to use within two weeks
How to make the Kataifi Rolls with Caramelized Pears and Warm Spices
- Cut the pears into small, 1/2” pieces. Place them in a skillet with the butter, the sugar, the warm spices and the cranberries
- Cook gently, stirring every now and then, until the pears are soft (but not mushy)
- Pull small strands of kataifi from the overall bundle and place them on a clean work surface. Butter each one with melted butter and place one heaping tablespoon of the pear mixture at the end of each bundle
- Roll up the kataifi tightly to enclose the filling, making certain to fold the sides inwards to cover the filling and form a tight roll
- Repeat forming more kataifi bundles – you should be able to make 10 rolls in total. Place them, seam-side down, on a buttered pan, close to each other. Brush the tops with more melted butter
- Bake until golden brown
7. Remove from the oven, drizzle with the simple syrup and top with some chopped pistachio nuts 
8. Allow it to sit in the syrup for a couple of hours and then serve and enjoy on its own with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
How to Store & Serve again
- If there are any leftover rolls, you can store them at room temperature for 2-3 days, loosely covered (so they remain crisp) and in the refrigerator after that.
- In general, filo and kataifi desserts are enjoyed in the first couple of days and do not need to be reheated. If you had to store the rolls in the refrigerator, allow them to come to room temperature before serving them. If they look a little dry after several day, make a small amount of simple syrup and drizzle it over the rolls. Do not reheat these in a microwave.
This recipe is collaboration with my friends at Fillo Factory. You can find their kataifi, filo dough, mini filo shells, and puff pastry at many grocery stores, including Whole Foods. I love the quality of the Fillo Factory products and I always make sure to stash a couple of boxes of their products in the freezer!
If you would like to try more recipes with Kataifi pastry, why not try my savory kataifi rolls with ham and cheese and the recipe for kataifi nests with strawberry cream and pistachios, from my blogs archives!
- 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Preheat the oven: Set the oven to 350° F.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
If there are leftover filling, save it to serve over warm oatmeal!
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These are excellent! A very nice way to mix fruit with kataifi. If anything, I would consider adding even more of the fruit compote in future. Vanilla ice cream goes very well with this dessert. Thank you, Chef Marilena!
Yes, the pear compote is so delicious on its own, I served a spoonful of it on the side of the kataifi rolls, as there is usually some leftover filling! Vanilla ice cream paired so well with it too:) Thank you for your note!
Looks like thee perfect fall dessert!
Thank you Alice! I hope you get to try it some time this fall!
Looks and sounds absolutely delicous; it’s probably even more delicious if someone else makes it for you 😀
I love the little receptacle that holds the syrup, it’s beautiful!
This recipe turned out really well, Kiki, thank you! It might take a little time to assemble, but it is truly full proof. The little ceramic for the syrup is from Greece – one of my recent additions to my prop collection!