The cheese-filled Middle Eastern pastry traditionally topped with shredded wheat or semolina and soaked in syrup is kunafa.
Kunafa, also spelled knafeh or kanafeh, is made with a pastry layer and a soft cheese filling, then baked until the surface becomes crisp. A fragrant sugar syrup is poured over it, often with rose water or orange-blossom water. Pistachios are a common garnish.
The dessert is especially prominent in Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, and Turkey. Nabulsi cheese is traditionally associated with the Palestinian city of Nablus, although cooks elsewhere use other mild, stretchy, or unsalted cheeses.
The pastry has several forms. Some versions use fine strands known as kadaif, while others use a smooth semolina-based layer. Kunafa is frequently served warm, and its contrast between crisp topping, molten cheese, and floral syrup is central to its identity.