Ingredients

• 350 gr. walnuts or almonds, coarsely chopped
• 55 gr. sugar
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons brandy
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon if walnuts are used, or 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel for almond filling

Instructions

• Mix all the filling ingredients well, in a bowl.
• Brush a large baking dish with butter.
• Pull a small handful of pastry lightly and spread it flat on a wooden board or a marble slab.
• Place a large tablespoon of filling at one end of the pastry and roll the pastry rightly over it, making sure the filling is securely enclosed. The result should resemble a cylindrical fat parcel, about 10 cm long maximum.
• Place these parcels in rows in the baking dish, leaving a little space between them, otherwise they do not crisp on the side. There should be approximately 18-20 pieces by the time you finish.
• Heat the butter and pour 1-2 tablespoons over each piece of kadaifi.
• Bake in a pre-heated oven, gas no. 4/ 350 grades F/ 180 grades C), for 30 minutes; increase the temperature to gas no. 7/ 425 grades F/ 220 grades C and cook for a further 10 minutes.
• The pastries should have a crisp and pale golden appearance.
• Let them cool while you make the syrup.
• Dissolve the sugar in the water, add the lemon juice and rind, and boil gently for 8-10 minutes, until the syrup thickens slightly.
• Pour the hot syrup slowly over the cool kadaifi and let stand in the dish until the syrup is completely absorbed.
• Sprinkle a little cinnamon on each piece.
• Allow one piece of kadaifi per person.