Title: Kataifi me krema (shredded pastry with custard)
 Categories: Greek, Desserts
      Yield: 1 servings
 
MMMMM----------------------CUSTARD FILLING---------------------------
      4 c  Milk
    3/4 c  Cornflour
      4    Eggs; beaten
      1 pn Salt
    1/2 c  Sugar
      1 ts Vanilla essence

MMMMM-----------------------KATAIFI CRUST----------------------------
    500 g  Kataifi (shredded pastry)
    3/4 c  Unsalted butter; melted

MMMMM---------------------------SYRUP--------------------------------
      2 c  Sugar
  1 1/2 c  Water
      1    Thin strip lemon rind
      1    Piece of cinnamon bark
      3 ts Lemon juice
 
  Oven temperature: 190 C (375 F) Cooking time: 1 hour
  
  Combine milk and cornflour in a heavy pan.  Blend in beaten eggs and
  add salt and sugar.  Place over medium heat and stir constantly until
  thickened and bubbling.  Remove from heat, stir in vanilla essence
  and cover top of custard with buttered paper to prevent a skin
  forming.
  
  Place kataifi in a large bowl and gently separate strands with
  fingers. Grease a 20 x 28 cm (8 x 11 inch) oven dish with some of the
  butter.  Put half the kataifi in the base, pressing it down to make
  it compact. Drizzle 1/4 cup butterr evenly over it.  Pour custard
  filling over kataifi, spreading it evenly.  Top with remaining
  kataifi.  Spread evenly and pat down gently.  Pour remaining melted
  butter evenly over top.  Bake in a moderately hot oven for 45 minutes
  until golden brown.  Remove from oven and leave until cool.
  
  Dissolve sugar in water over medium heat, add lemon rind and cinnamon
  bark and bring to the boil.  Add lemon juice and boil over medium
  heat for 15 minutes, skimming when necessary.  Do not stir once syrup
  is boiling. Strain hot syrup over cooled pastry.  Leave until cold
  and cut into diamond shapes to serve.
  
  Note: The previous recipe is the traditional way in which this
  dessert is made.  As the custard and syrup soften the kataifi, many
  good cooks use the following method for a crisp finish:
  
  Prepare the syrup as directed above and leave until cool.  Place the
  kataifi in a bowl and loosen stands.  Pour on 1/2 cup melted, unsalted
  butter and mix with fingers to coat strands.  Spread kataifi in two
  buttered 20 x 28 cm (8 x 11 inch) straight-sided oven dishes and
  press down to make it compact.  Bake in a moderately hot oven for
  20-25 minutes until golden - take care that it does not become too
  brown.  Remove from the oven and pour cooled syrup evenly over hot
  kataifi in each dish. Cover each dish with a tea towel so that
  kataifi softens slightly, otherwise it will be difficult to cut.
  Make custard as directed in previous recipe and pour while hot onto
  kataifi in one dish.  Invert other dish of kataifi on top of the
  custard.  Leave uncovered until cool, then cut into diamond shapes to
  serve.
  
                   From: "The Complete Middle East Cookbook" by Tess
  Mallos
                   ISBN: 1 86302 069 1
  
  Typed for you by Karen Mintzias