Katmer Dessert Recipe

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My easy Katmer Dessert Recipe is made with ready-made phyllo pastry, finely ground pistachios, sugar, clotted cream, and butter. It cooks quickly in a skillet until crisp and golden, with a soft, creamy pistachio filling inside.

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Total Time20

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: Middle Eastern, Turkish

Diet: Low Salt, Vegetarian

Servings: people

Calories: 656kcal

Author: Ayla Clulee

Ingredients

8 sheets phyllo dough
4 tablespoon unsalted butter (melted, plus extra if needed)
1 cup finely ground unsalted pistachios
¼ cup caster or granulated sugar
½ cup clotted cream, kaymak, mascarpone, or thick cream (120 grams / 4 oz)
2 tablespoon finely chopped pistachios (for serving)
Powdered sugar, for dusting, optional

Instructions

Mix the finely ground pistachios and sugar in a small bowl, then set it aside.
Place one sheet of phyllo pastry on a clean work surface and brush it lightly with melted butter. Place a second sheet on top and brush it with a little more butter.
Sprinkle some of the pistachio and sugar mixture in the center of the pastry, leaving the edges clear.
Dot some clotted cream, kaymak, mascarpone, or thick cream over the pistachio filling.
Fold the left side of the pastry over the filling, then fold the right side over it so they overlap slightly.
Fold the top edge down, then fold the bottom edge up to make a neat square or rectangle. The filling should be fully enclosed.
Brush both sides lightly with melted butter. Repeat with the remaining phyllo sheets and filling until you have 4 katmer pastries.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Place one katmer in the skillet, seam side down, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden and crisp.
Turn it over carefully and cook the other side for another 2 to 3 minutes.
Repeat with the remaining katmer pastries. Serve warm with chopped pistachios and a light dusting of powdered sugar if you like.

Notes

Keep the phyllo pastry covered with a clean kitchen towel while you work, as it dries out quickly and can crack when folded.
Brush the phyllo lightly with melted butter. Too much butter can make the pastry greasy instead of crisp.
Do not overfill the katmer with cream, as it can leak out while cooking and soften the pastry.
Cook the katmer over medium-low heat. If the pan is too hot, the phyllo will brown before the filling has time to warm through.
Place the katmer seam side down first to help seal the folds and keep the filling inside.
Katmer is best served warm, straight from the pan, while the pastry is crisp and the center is still soft.
If kaymak is hard to find, use clotted cream, mascarpone, or thick cream. Clotted cream gives the closest texture.
Reheat leftovers in a dry skillet or air fryer to bring back some crispness. Avoid the microwave, as it will make the pastry soft.

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