Halabi Pistachio Madlouka

Ingredients

• About half a kilo of kataifi pastry strands.
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter.
• 1 cup ground Aleppo pistachios.
• 2 tablespoons sugar syrup (qatir / shireh).
• 2 tablespoons honey.
• A few drops of green food coloring.
• Homemade clotted cream (qashta).
• Method to make the clotted cream:
• 4 cups powdered milk.
• 8 cups water.
• 3 tablespoons yogurt.
• 3 tablespoons white vinegar.
• 1 can ready-made Qeimer clotted cream.

Method

1. Sauté the kataifi strands with the butter over heat for a short time until warmed through; it's not necessary for them to brown at this stage.
2. Remove the kataifi from the heat and add the ground Aleppo pistachios, a little sugar syrup, the honey, and a few drops of green food coloring (food-grade dye usually found near baking supplies).
3. Knead the mixture well, spread the dough in the serving dish, and top with clotted cream and decorations as desired.
4. Stir in one can of Qeimer clotted cream into the mixture and chill the cream in the refrigerator for about one hour before placing it on the madlouqa.
5. Decorate as desired with any type of available nuts.
6. Heat the milk mixture until it boils, add the yogurt and vinegar, and leave the mixture to separate into curd-like clumps; pour into a sieve and set aside to cool.