All the flavors of the Gulf, stuffed pancakes (katayef).

I give my self two thumbs up with this recipe, I honestly do. The filling is my very own recipe, one that I created today for the first time and it came out simply amazing. I call it "All the flavors of the Gulf" since dates and cardamom play a big role in Gulf style Arabic sweets. The filling can be eaten straight like you would Greek halvah or used to stuff any flat cake of your choice.


Ingredients for the pancakes (beghrir)

1 cup fine semolina
3/4 cup wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoon yeast
2 teaspoons baking powder
3 cups plus 2 to 4 tablespoons lukewarm water.
2 tablespoons butter plus 2 tablespoons argan oil to brush the katayef
1 cup warm honey, butter, and chopped nuts to serve.

Directions
Sift dry ingredients in a large bowl, add yeast and warm water and mix to combine. Pour the mix into a blender and blend until smooth and creamy for approx 3 min. Pour mix into large bowl and cover with cloth for approx 30 min or until the batter has risen and appears foamy on the surface. After mix has rested add 2 tablespoons of warm water and mix.

Cook in a non stick pan or skillet, over medium heat. laddle in desired amount of batter into the hot skillet Pour carefully and slowly into the center and the batter will spread evenly into a circle. Bubbles should appear on the surface of the beghrir as it cooks. Don't flip the beghrir. It only gets cooked on one side.

Cook for about 3 to 4 minutes, or until the beghrir doesn't appear wet anywhere on the surface. It should feel spongy, but not sticky or gummy, when you touch it lightly with your finger. Place a single layer of pancakes on a large plate or over a long piece of foil placed on your counter top (dont place one on top of the other or they will stick and become doughy). Set your cakes aside until they're ready to
be filled.






Date filling

Ingredients
15 large medjool dates (soft), pitted and cut into pieces (approximately 2 cups)
2 tablespoons semolina
2 tablespoons almond flour
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon argan oil (Can be replaced with almond oil or olive oil)
1 teaspoon cardamom powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup plus 2tbsp milk


Directions
In a medium heavy duty pan over medium heat, add the butter and oil pour in the semolina and almond flour and stir continuosly until it becomes light golden brown.
Once the flour's have browned add your dates, spices, and milk and lower the heat to medium low. Cook until the dates have soften and mash into a thick paste. Cool the filling before assembling your katayef.


How to assemble the katayef




Place a small amount of filling (I used 1 tablespoon for 6 inch beghrir's)in the center of the Katayef piece and fold one side towards the other and stick them together by pressing on the edges. You now have a crescent shaped Katayef. Grease both sides of your katayef with melted butter and oil and bake the katayef in a preheated (350*) oven placed in a non stick pan for approximately 15 minutes or until light golden and slightly cruchy. Pour warm honey over the hot katayef and serve warm with chopped nuts.