Dessert
Künefe
Origin: Hatay, Mediterranean
Hatay dessert of shredded kadayıf pastry around unsalted cheese, cooked with butter in a round tray, soaked in syrup and eaten hot.
Künefe is made from kadayıf, a pastry of fine wheat threads, with fresh künefe cheese, butter and syrup. Under the geographical indication, buttered kadayıf is spread in a wide, flat tray of tinned copper or aluminium. Fresh, low-salt cheese goes on top, covered by more kadayıf. The tray cooks on low heat until the base browns, then the künefe is turned over. When the second side is brown, hot syrup is poured on. It is served round, 1 to 2 cm thick and hot, and the cheese should stretch. Pistachio on top is optional.
Its registered name, Antakya künefesi, dates from 2008 in Türkiye; the EU has protected it since 2023. Hatay has been a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy since 2017. After the 2023 earthquakes, Çınaraltı and other künefe makers moved to Antakya's Gastronomy Bazaar in Odabaşı, opened in September 2024.
Dietary notes: contains wheat (gluten), cheese and butter. The pistachio version contains nuts. It is high in sugar.