Qatayef (also spelled Atayef or Katayef) are small, stuffed pancakes that are popular in Middle Eastern cuisine, especially during festive occasions and Ramadan. They are versatile, delicious, and surprisingly easy to make at home.
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Qatayef is both the name of this delicious Levantine dessert and the batter used to make it. The batter is a simple mix of flour, baking powder, water, yeast, and sometimes a bit of sugar. You cook it on a hot plate, like making pancakes, but you only cook one side. Then comes the fun part—filling and folding them!
You can stuff Qatayef with sweet cheese or a tasty mix of nuts (like hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds, or pistachios), along with raisins, powdered sugar, vanilla, rose water, and cinnamon. After they're filled, you can either deep-fry them until golden and crispy or bake them. Serve them up with a drizzle of hot sweet syrup or honey.
There’s also a special way to enjoy Qatayef called Assafiri Qatayef. For this version, you fill the pancakes with whipped cream or qishta (a type of clotted cream, similar to Turkish Kaymak), fold them halfway, dip in nuts, and serve with simple syrup—no frying or baking needed.
Qatayef has been a part of Middle Eastern culture for centuries, often linked to festive occasions and family gatherings. They are especially a quintessential treat during Ramadan, where they are a staple at iftar, the meal that breaks the daily fast. Making Qatayef is often a family affair, with recipes handed down through generations.
Ingredients You'll Need
Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.
Pancakes Batter
- Flour - I use plain white (also known as all-purpose flour). Sift it before using it.
- Semolina - You can use fine or medium ground semolina for this recipe to get the perfect texture and consistency for the pancakes. You can buy semolina in Turkish or Middle Eastern stores.
- Milk - I prefer semi-skimmed milk, but you can use full-fat milk or water for a dairy-free version.
- Vanilla - I use vanilla for flavoring because I don't really like rose water, which is traditionally used for qatayef. You can use other flavorings such as orange blossom water, cinnamon, or mahlab.
- Baking powder - It gives you more airy and fluffy pancakes.
Sweet Cheese Filling and Topping
- Cheese - Qatayef is traditionally stuffed with qishta - ashta (a type of clotted cream, similar to Turkish Kaymak), but you can also use a sweet cheese mixture made with ricotta cheese and shredded mozzarella.
- Icing sugar and cinnamon - To add some flavor and sweetness to the filling. You can omit and just use simple syrup or honey.
- Simple syrup - In addition to drizzling some on the atayef, I also add a few tablespoons of simple syrup for a more balanced sweetness.
- Pistachio - I love using ground pistachio to garnish Middle Eastern desserts such as Tulumba - Turkish Fried Dough Desserts and Keskul - Almond Pudding.
How to Make Qatayef - Middle Eastern Stuffed Pancakes?
Making Qatayef - Middle Eastern Stuffed Pancakes is very easy and straightforward. However, you need to follow a few simple steps and tips to achieve the best results:
Prepare the Syrup
Start by preparing the simple syrup. You will need it at room temperature, so make sure it is ready and cooling while you prepare and stuff the pancakes.
In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Reduce the heat and let the syrup simmer for about 10-15 minutes until it thickens slightly. Add the lemon juice and let it simmer for a few more minutes.
If you like, add a teaspoon of rose water or orange blossom water for a traditional touch. Remove the syrup from the heat and let it cool.
Make the Pancake Batter
In a large bowl, combine the flour, semolina, baking powder, yeast, sugar, and salt. Mix them well to ensure the baking powder is evenly distributed.
Slowly add the water to the dry ingredients, whisking continuously to avoid lumps. The batter should be smooth and slightly runny, similar to a regular pancake batter.
Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let the batter rest for about 30 minutes.
Prepare the Filling
In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese (or sweet cheese), shredded mozzarella, icing sugar, and cinnamon. If you’re using a sweet cheese like Akkawi, make sure it’s been soaked and rinsed to remove excess salt.
This is where you can get creative—add some finely chopped nuts such as walnuts or pistachios, a bit of shredded coconut or a dash of nutmeg for extra flavor. Set it aside.
Cook the Pancakes and Assemble the Katayef
Pour a small amount of batter (about 2 tablespoons) onto the hot pan to form small circles. Cook the pancakes on one side only, until bubbles form on the surface and the batter is no longer wet, about 2-3 minutes. The bottom should be golden brown.
Remove the pancakes from the pan and place them on a tray or a clean kitchen towel to cool. Make sure the cooked side is down and the uncooked side is up. Cover them with another towel to keep them from drying out.
Take one pancake and place a small spoonful of the filling in the center of the uncooked side. Fold the pancake in half and pinch the edges together to seal it. The sticky, uncooked batter will help the edges stick together.
Fry or Bake the Qatayef
You can choose to either fry or bake the Qatayef.
For frying, heat about an inch of oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Fry the filled Qatayef until they are golden brown and crispy on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
For baking, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the filled Qatayef on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the tops lightly with oil or melted butter and bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden and crispy.
Once your Qatayef are cooked, it’s time to soak them in the syrup. I prefer drizzling the syrup over the Qatayef but you can dip them directly into the syrup, depending on how sweet you like them. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Recipe Tips From the Chef
- Make sure your batter is smooth and runny. If it’s too thick, the pancakes will tear apart while folding. If it’s too thin, you won't have any bubbles forming while cooking the pancakes.
- Let the pancake batter rest for about 30 minutes before cooking them.
- You only need to cook one side of the pancakes. Leave the other side uncooked as it will help stick better.
- Keep your cooked pancakes covered while cooking the rest and during the filling process to avoid them drying.
- A little filling goes a long way. Overstuffing can cause the Qatayef to burst open during cooking.
- Pinch the edges of the pancakes firmly to prevent the filling from leaking out.
- If frying, make sure your oil is hot enough. If it’s too cool, the Qatayef will absorb too much oil and become greasy.
Qatayef - Middle Eastern Stuffed Pancakes Variations
- Fill the pancakes with a mixture of cheese and herbs or spiced ground meat for a savory version.
- Mix the nuts with dried fruits like dates, sultanas, or apricots for a different texture and flavor.
- Fill Atayef with Nutella or a mix of chocolate chips and nuts for a modern twist.
Storage Instructions
Qatayef is best when served warm, right after freshly made. However, if you end up with some leftovers, you can keep them refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
If you want to keep them longer, freeze them before soaking or drizzling them with syrup and right after filling them. Frozen Qatayef would keep fresh for up to 3 months. You can bake or fry them straight from the freezer without needing to defrost them.
Related Recipes
For more delicious Middle Eastern dessert recipes why not try:
Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below, tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram, and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.
I hope you enjoy the process of making these delicious Katayef - Middle Eastern Stuffed Pancakes as much as you enjoy eating them! 🙂
Bon appétit! / Afiyet olsun!
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Qatayef - Middle Eastern Stuffed Pancakes
Ingredients
For the Pancakes
- 150 g plain white flour / all purpose flour
- 80 g semolina
- 2 tablespoon caster or granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fast action dry yeast
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 360 ml warm milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
For the Filling and Topping
- 150 g ricotta cheese
- 100 g buffalo mozzarella (shredded)
- 1 cup simple syrup
- 2 tablespoon icing sugar and cinnamon powder (1 ½ tablespoon icing sugar mixed with ½tbsp cinnamon)
- 2 tablespoon ground pistachio
Instructions
Preparing the Syrup
- Start by preparing the simple syrup. You will need it at room temperature, so make sure it is ready and cooling while you prepare and stuff the pancakes.
- In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
- Reduce the heat and add the lemon juice. Let the syrup simmer for about 10-15 minutes, until it thickens slightly.
- If you like, add a teaspoon of rose water or orange blossom water for a traditional touch. Remove the syrup from the heat and let it cool.
Making the Pancake Batter
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, semolina, baking powder, yeast, sugar, and salt. Mix them well to ensure the baking powder is evenly distributed.
- Slowly add the water to the dry ingredients, whisking continuously to avoid lumps. The batter should be smooth and slightly runny, similar to a regular pancake batter.
- Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let the batter rest for about 30 minutes.
Preparing the Filling
- In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese (or sweet cheese), shredded mozzarella, icing sugar, and cinnamon. If you’re using a sweet cheese like Akkawi, make sure it’s been soaked and rinsed to remove excess salt.
- This is where you can get creative—add some finely chopped nuts such as walnuts or pistachios, a bit of shredded coconut or a dash of nutmeg for extra flavor. Set it aside.
Cooking the Pancakes and Assembling the Katayef
- Pour a small amount of batter (about 2 tablespoons) onto the hot pan to form small circles. Cook the pancakes on one side only, until bubbles form on the surface and the batter is no longer wet, about 2-3 minutes. The bottom should be golden brown.
- Remove the pancakes from the pan and place them on a clean kitchen towel to cool. Make sure the cooked side is down and the uncooked side is up. Cover them with another towel to keep them from drying out.
- Take one pancake and place a small spoonful of the filling in the center of the uncooked side. Fold the pancake in half and pinch the edges together to seal it. The sticky, uncooked batter will help the edges stick together.
Frying or Baking the Qatayef
- You can choose to either fry or bake the Qatayef.
- For frying, heat about an inch of oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Fry the filled Qatayef until they are golden brown and crispy on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
- For baking, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the filled Qatayef on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the tops lightly with oil or melted butter and bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden and crispy.
- Once your Qatayef are cooked, it’s time to soak them in the syrup. I prefer drizzling the syrup over the Qatayef but you can dip them directly into the syrup, depending on how sweet you like them. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Video
Notes
- Make sure your batter is smooth and runny. If it’s too thick, the pancakes will tear apart while folding. If it’s too thin, you won't have any bubbles forming while cooking the pancakes.
- Let the pancake batter rest for about 30 minutes before cooking them.
- You only need to cook one side of the pancakes. Leave the other side uncooked as it will help sticking better.
- Keep your cooked pancakes covered while cooking the rest and during the filling process to avoid them drying.
- A little filling goes a long way. Overstuffing can cause the Qatayef to burst open during cooking.
- Pinch the edges of the pancakes firmly to prevent the filling from leaking out.
- If frying, make sure your oil is hot enough. If it’s too cool, the Qatayef will absorb too much oil and become greasy.
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