I don’t usually like to post recipes which are time consuming but sometimes, when we have the time it’s good to try new recipes! This recipe is for a traditional Cypriot dessert which is absolutely delicious!! It’s called kattimeri and even though there are savoury and sweet kattimeria -depending on where you live in Cyprus- this is the sweet, rolled up version. It’s a doughy dessert, which is then smothered in fresh cream and sprinkled with almonds. Oh to finish it off, did I mention that you soak it in some lovely, cinnamony syrup?
I got ‘told off’ last time I posted about a syrupy dessert –politiko thessalonikis– as the amount of sugar used is too high. Even though I agree, I also feel that sometimes is ok to indulge but at the same time that it’s also very important to preserve our traditional recipes for our children’s and our countries sake! So make this dessert and enjoy it wherever you are in this beautiful world of ours and always remember what ancient Greeks used to say: Παν μετρον αριστον! (all in good measure, all in moderation).
Right, let’s get baking my darlings!
For the Cypriot kattimeri, prepare the dough by adding the oil and flour together and then rubbing the two together until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. Add the vinegar and water and knead for 5 minutes or until everything is combined and the dough is formed.
Then, let the dough rest for 30 minutes. Meanwhile prepare the syrup by adding the sugar, water and cinnamon in a small saucepan and once it starts boiling let it boil for exactly 3 more minutes, remove from the heat and let it cool.
When the dough has rested, divide into 4 equal parts. Take the first and using a rolling pin, flatten it out as much as possible. Ideally, you want to dough sheet to be as thin as possible. Measure 5 tablespoons of fresh cream and evenly spread it on the dough sheet. Sprinkle some almonds too with some cinnamon.
Roll the dough sheet tightly.
And place it in a baking tray creating a spiral. Repeat with the other pieces. Cover the top of the pastry with some single cream and the chopped nuts.
Bake in a pre heated oven at 180°C for about one hour. When it’s baked, remove from the oven and pour the syrup on top. Let it absorb all the syrup, ideally overnight.
Ingredients
- FOR THE DOUGH
- 1 kg '00' flour
- 1 cup oil,vegetable/sunflower
- 1 tsp vinegar
- 1,5 cup water, approximately
- FOR THE FILLING
- 250 gr single cream
- 150 gr almonds,roughly chopped
- some cinnamon
- FOR THE SYRUP
- 3 cups sugar
- 3 cups water
- 1 cinnamon stick
Instructions
Step 1 Prepare the dough by adding the oil and flour together and then rubbing the two together using your fingers until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. Add the vinegar and water and knead for 5 minutes or until everything is combined and the dough is soft. Step 2 Let the dough rest for 30 minutes. Step 3 Meanwhile prepare the syrup by adding the sugar, water and cinnamon in a small saucepan and once it starts boiling let it boil for exactly 3 more minutes, remove from the heat and let it cool. Step 4 When the dough has rested, divide into 4 equal parts. Take the first and using a rolling pin, flatten it out as much as possible. Ideally, you want to dough sheet to be as thin as possible. Measure 5 tablespoons of fresh cream and evenly spread it on the dough sheet. Sprinkle some almonds too with some cinnamon. Step 5 Roll the dough sheet tightly and place it in a baking tray creating a spiral. Repeat with the other pieces. Cover the top of the pastry with some single cream and the chopped nuts. Step 6 Pre heat the oven at 180°C. Bake the dessert for about one hour. When it's baked, remove from the oven and pour the syrup on top. Let it absorb all the syrup, ideally overnight.
Notes
You can use a double cutter machine to roll out the patry. The best setting for that is number 4 on the machine.
