Dish No. 84: Kunafa From Nablus Sweets
Welcome to 100 Dishes to Eat Now, Fork in the Road's handy list of some of our favorite dishes -- old standbys and new finds alike -- compiled daily.
Palestinian kunafa: Like a Middle Eastern cheese danish.
Today's pick: Kunafa ($6) from Nablus Sweets in Bay Ridge (6812 Fifth Avenue).
Kunafa is like the Middle East's version of a cheese danish. Its base is mild, stretchy white cheese -- like fresh mozzarella or paneer -- with a topping of rich semolina pastry, all of it soaked in rose-water syrup. The sweet is baked in giant rounds and cut into pieces for serving.
Although kunafa is popular in many parts of the Middle East, it is apparently native to the ancient Palestinian city of Nablus, on the West Bank. Nablus Sweets in Bay Ridge takes great pride in the confection, which it spells "k'nafee." One morning, around noon, that k'nafee was still in the oven. When it finally emerged, it was an orange-tinted wonder, leaking melted cheese and syrup, probably more than two feet in diameter. It's delicious -- the mild, slightly tangy cheese anchoring the sugary, nutty semolina on top.
Previously in the countdown:
Dish No. 100: Zaragoza Grocery's Flor de Calabaza Quesadilla
Dish No. 99: No. 7 Sub Shop's General Tso's Tofu Sandwich
Dish No. 98: Nigerian Goat Stew From Baku
Dish No. 97: The Captain's Daughter From Saltie
Dish No. 96: Bun Bo Hue From Thanh Da
Dish No. 95: The Beauty From Mile End
Dish No. 94: Potato, Egg, and Provolone on a Roll at Torrisi Italian Specialties
Dish No. 93: The Terrine Board at the Breslin Bar and Dining Room
Dish No. 92: Sausage and Egg Breakfast at La Bonbonniere
Dish No. 91: Roasted Carrots at Porchettta
Dish No. 90: Spicy Miso Ramen at Ramen Setagaya
Dish No. 89: Peanut Butter Pretzel Pie From First Prize Pies
Dish No. 88: Brown Butter, Corn, and Mushroom Linguine at Buttermilk Channel
Dish No. 87: Katsudon at Ennju
Dish No. 86: Fried Chicken With Two Sides at Soul Fixins
Dish No. 85: Fried lamb intestines at El Quinto Pino
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