Recipe of the Week
By Mary Kay Radnich

Qatayef

• 3/4 teaspoon dry yeast 
• 1 1/2 cups warm water 
• 1 teaspoon sugar 
• 1 1/2 cups flour 
• Pinch of salt 
• corn or vegetable oil for frying  

Sugar Syrup:  

• 2 1/2 cups sugar 
• 1 teaspoon orange flower water 
• 1 1/2 cups water 
• 1 teaspoon rose water 
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice 

Nutt Stuffing:  

• 1/2ib. walnuts, chopped 
• 3 to 4 teaspoons of sugar 
• 2 teaspoons of cinnamon   

Instructions:

Blend yeast with sugar and 1/4 cup of the water. Stir to dissolve. Sift flour and salt into warm mixing bowl and make a well in the center. Pour 1 cup water and yeast mixture into the center, gradually stirring with a wooden spoon until smoothly blended. If  lumpy, stir with a whisk till smooth. Cover bowl  with a cloth and leave in a warm place foe 1 hour or until batter has risen and surface is bubbly. In a hot greased frying pan, pour about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the batter and tilt the pan around so it spreads a little into 4-inch diameter circle. (if batter is too thick, stir in remaining water.)  Cook until golden brown on the underside. The top shoulder be full of air holes. Fry only ONE side before stuffing. Remove to a plate or towel. Prepare sugar syrup (below) and set a side to cool while stuffing pancakes. Put sugar in water in a small saucepan and heat without stirring till it dissolves and starts to boil.

Sugar Syrup:
Stir and boil rabidly. Remove the foam that rises to the top. Add orange blossom water and lemon juice. Continue boiling till syrup is like thin honey. Add rose water last to keep its perfume. Set aside to cool but don't refrigerate.

Nutt Stuffing:
combine all ingredients. Spread about a tablespoon of mixture on the unfired side of the pancakes. Close by folding over in half and seal by pressing the edges. Fry 2-3 minutes in hot oil until pale golden on both sides OR bake them on a greased tray in a hot oven for a bout 30 minutes, turning once, till golden. Dip hot pancakes in   room temperature sugar syrup, and serve hot or cold.