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M’tabaq (sweet cheese-filled parcels)
Makes 6 Cakes, Bread and Pastries
Ingredients
- 90g salted butter, melted
- 36 sheets filo pastry, each 20cm square
- 750g grated Akkawi cheese or 500g ricotta mixed with 250g grated mozzarella
- pistachios, crushed, to serve
For the syrup
- 260g caster sugar
- seeds from 3 cardamompods, crushed
- 1tbsp lemon juice
Method
Brush the base of a large baking tray with melted butter. Place a sheet of filo pastry in the tin and brush it with melted butter. Layer 5 more sheets on top, brushing each with butter as you go. Keep the remaining filo covered with a clean, damp tea towel while you work, to prevent it drying out. Divide the cheese into 6 portions.
Spoon 1 portion into the middle of the pastry and use your fingers to spread it in a square, leaving a 5cm frame around it. Fold 1 corner of the pastry layers into the middle and repeat for the remaining corners until you have a square parcel. Turn seam-side down, brush with some more butter, then use a sharp knife to cut through the top layers in a cross shape. Repeat to fill and shape 6 pastries.
At this stage, you could leave the m’tabaq for up to 1 hour, but not much longer, or the filo can become soggy. Preheat the oven to 230C/ 455F/Gas 8. Bake the parcels for 15-20 minutes or until they are crisp and golden brown.
Halfway through cooking, make the syrup. Pour 120ml of water into a saucepan and place overa medium heat, adding the sugar and cardamom.
Bring to the boil, stirring, then add the lemon juice and simmer for 2 minutes. As soon as you take the pastries out of the oven, pour the hot syrup over (3-4tbsp on each). Leave for 5 minutes, then sprinkle with crushed pistachios and serve.
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