Qataʾif

qataʾif (kadayif, kunafa, knafeh), a family of Near Eastern pastries which can take the form of pancakes or a sort of dry-baked vermicelli.

The original meaning was pancake, and this is still what qataʾif (locally pronounced ʾatâyif) are in Egypt and Syria. A usual recipe is to pour leavened batter onto a greased pan and cook slowly on one side only, just until the batter is set. This half-cooked cake is folded over a sweetened cheese or nut stuffing; the raw side is tacky and the edges readily seal. The semicircular filled cakes are then deep fried. Stores sell both cooked stuffed ʿatâyif and the raw pancakes (crêpes) for stuffing and frying at home. This pastry is also found in Turkey, where it is known as dolma kadayif.