Fried Qatayef with Ashta (Cream)

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup fine semolina
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp yeast
• 1 tbsp powdered milk
• 2 1/2 cups warm water
• Ashta (cream):
• 2 cups milk
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp sugar
• A splash of rose water and orange blossom water
• Fried qatayef with ashta by our friend and chef on Sho Tabkhin Al-Youm:
• Rana Jirks
• Click Rana's name to visit her profile on our site and discover her wonderful recipes.
• Easy Znood al-Sitt is another Arabic dessert recipe from Rana — click the link.

Method

1. Mix the dry ingredients, then add the warm water and mix by hand or with a blender.
2. Cover the qatayef batter and let it rest for about 1 hour.
   Timers: 60 min
3. Pour a small ladleful of batter onto a hot nonstick pan, forming circles in the size you want.
4. When the batter is dry on top and bubbles appear, remove each pancake immediately and place on a plate; cover with a clean cloth. Repeat until all the batter is used.
5. Prepare the ashta: dissolve the dry ashta ingredients into the cold milk.
6. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until thickened.
7. Add rose water and orange blossom water, stir, then remove from the heat.
8. Let the ashta cool to room temperature.
9. Fill the qatayef with the ashta and seal the edges well by pressing the edges with your fingertips.
10. Fry them in plenty of hot oil or bake/grill them in the oven.
11. Drizzle room-temperature sugar syrup over the hot qatayef and serve.