Description
These golden, crispy Kataifi nests cradle a sweet and creamy cottage cheese filling, infused with orange blossom and topped with crushed pistachios. A playful yet elegant dessert with Middle Eastern flair — perfect for entertaining or a cozy weekend treat.
Ingredients
• ½ lb kataifi pastry, thawed and gently separated
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup full-fat cottage cheese, blended smooth
• 2 tbsp honey or maple syrup
• 1 tsp orange blossom water
• ⅓ cup chopped pistachios
• 1 tbsp powdered sugar, for garnish
• Optional: dried rose petals or citrus zest for decoration
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
-
Gently pull apart the kataifi strands and form into 10–12 small nests in a greased muffin tin.
-
Brush with melted butter generously, making sure the strands are coated.
-
Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until crisp and golden.
-
While the nests cool, blend the cottage cheese with honey and orange blossom water until creamy.
-
Spoon the filling into the cooled nests.
-
Top with chopped pistachios, powdered sugar, and optional rose petals.
Eva’s Note: These are best served the same day, but you can crisp up leftover nests in the oven at 300°F for 5 minutes!
Notes
Make the filling a day ahead and store it chilled — just assemble before serving.
Swap orange blossom for rose water if preferred.
These are naturally portioned — perfect for brunch spreads or gifting.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 nest
- Calories: 130
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 85mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 18mg
Keywords: kataifi cottage cheese dessert, kadaifi pastry, Middle Eastern sweets, pistachio nests, orange blossom dessert, cottage cheese tartlets