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Qatayef

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Katayef" redirects here. For other uses, see Outline of kadayif.
For the pastry dough, see Kadayif.
Qatayef
Qatayef asafiri, with cream and nut filling
Alternative namesYassi kadayif[1]
TypeDumpling, pancake
Place of originMiddle East
Region or stateEgypt, Levant
Main ingredientsSemolina flour, flour, sugar, yeast[2]
  •  Wikimedia Commons logo Media: Qatayef
Assorted qatayef

Qatayef, katayef, atayef or qata'if (Arabic: قطايف [qɑˈtˤɑ:jɪf]) is an Arabic dessert. It is a type of sweet dumpling filled with cream or nuts, or a filled folded pancake with a thickness similar to a Scottish crumpet. It is prepared by pouring batter onto a hot surface, cooking it on one side, it is then stuffed, folded, and then fried, baked, or eaten fresh.

In many Middle Eastern countries such as Jordan and Egypt, qatayef is regarded as a seasonal specialty tied closely to Ramadan, appearing in markets and bakeries almost exclusively for the duration of the holy month. It is eaten daily after iftar and sometimes at suhoor, making it one of the most anticipated festive sweets of the Ramadan season.[3]

Etymology

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Look up قطايف or قطائف in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

The Arabic word qaṭaːyif (Arabic: قطايف) is derived from the Arabic root q-ṭ-f, meaning to pick up or to pluck.[4][5] In Ottoman Turkish, the name yassi kadayif (lit. 'flat qatayif') came into use to differentiate between tel kadayıf (lit. 'hair qatayif', known as knafeh in Arabic) and the pancake known in Arabic as qatayef.[6][7][1]

History

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Although some believe that qatayef originated in the Fatimid Caliphate (909–1171),[8] their history dates back to the Abbasid Caliphate, 750–1258 CE.[9][10] Qatayef was mentioned in a 10th century Arabic cookbook dating back to the Abbasid Caliphate by Ibn Sayyar al-Warraq called Kitab al-Ṭabīḫ (Arabic: كتاب الطبيخ, The Book of Dishes).[11] The book also contained a recipe titled "Qatayef that were made for Harun al-Rashid"; an 8th century Caliph (786 – 809).[12][11]

In Europe, qatayef is mentioned as cataif in the 13th-century Latin cookbook Liber de ferculis [la].[13] During the 9th century, thin qatayef, then regarded as high quality, where used to wrap a type of marzipan to create lauzinaj.[14] Medieval Arabic cookbooks typically used crushed almond as filling, one 13th century recipe provided Muhammad bin Hasan al-Baghdadi called for a filling of almond and sugar, and instructed to fry the qatayef in sesame oil after they are stuffed and folded.[15][16]

Literary mentions of qatayef are plentiful in medieval Arabic literature, like the works of the poets Ibn al-Rumi, Ibn-Hussain al-Jazzar [ar],[17][18] and Ibn Nubata.[17] 15th century Egyptian author Al-Suyuti wrote a letter titled Manhal al-laṭāyif fī alknāfh wāl qaṭāyif, with qatayef mentioned in the title, during a time in which the price of qatayef surged, which was protested by Egyptians.[18][19]

Food historian Gil Marks noted that Ibn al-Qataifi (lit. 'son of the qatayef maker') was a surname of family of Jews in Egypt, highlighting qatayef's popularity.[20]

An 1844 French-Syrian-and-Egyptian-Arabic by Swedish Orientalist Jacob Berggren [sv] described qatayef being made from a fine flour batter that is poured from a spoon into molds arranged on a pan, then eaten sweetened by honey or grape syrup.[21] In 1935, German Orientalist Gustaf Dalman noted in his book Arbeit und Sitte in Palaestina ("Work and customs in Palestine") that Arabs in Palestine made kataif from flour, sourdough, and cold water, which were cooked on a pan and stuffed with nuts, and sometimes sent to a bakery to be baked in sesame oil. He compared them to European pancakes.[22]

Tradition

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Yassı kadayıf, packaged for sale with nigella sativa seeds, Turkey

Arab Muslims commonly serve it during the month of Ramadan.[23] Arab Christians, particularly in the Levant, also eat it during some celebrations, like Eid il-Burbara.[24][25] Due to its ubiquity in Muslim communities during Ramadan, some Christians also consume qatayif during the Muslim holy month alongside Muslims.[26] The ubiquity of qatayef is attributed to its ease of preparation and the affordability of its ingredients, making it available in areas like the Gaza Strip,[27][28] or during the Lebanese liquidity crisis.[29]

Outside the Arab world, qatayef are a Ramadan staple among Turkish Muslims, they are typically fried and eaten for iftar.[1][30][31][32] Yassi kadayif ("Flat qatayef") are patented by the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office and have a geographic indication for the region of Malatya, the patent specifies that yassi kadayif is made from 3 different types of flour.[33][34]

Qatayef is common during Ramadan in the regional cuisines of Egypt,[20] Palestine,[26][2] Lebanon,[29] Jordan,[35] Syria,[20] and Turkey.[7]

Preparation

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Qatayef being cooked on a hotplate, Salfit
Qatayef is prepared manually by pouring batter onto a hot surface using a utensil. (Nazareth, 2007)

Qatayef is the general name of the dessert as a whole and, more specifically, the batter. It is usually made out of wheat or semolina flour, baking powder, water, yeast, and sometimes sugar. The result of the batter being poured onto a round hot plate appears similar to pancakes, except only one side is cooked, then stuffed and folded.[26][36][37]

Although some vendors make qatayef manually, machines that automate automate the process exist.[35][38][39] The machines work by automatically pouring the batter on a heated conveyor belt then passing them under a set of fans to cool down. Said machines can produce 50 kilograms of qatayef in under an hour.[39]

Qatayef satati is deep fried (or baked) pastry filled with either unsalted sweet cheese a mixture of any of hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds, pistachios, raisins, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, rose extract, and cinnamon. It is served with a hot sweet syrup or sometimes honey. Assafiri qatayef (قطايف عصافيري) is filled with whipped cream or qishta (قشطة), folded halfway, and served it with scented syrup without frying or baking.[40][41]

Qatayef was traditionally prepared by street vendors as well as households in Egypt and the Levant. Modern variations, with fillings such as Nutella, are also consumed.[42][43]

In pop culture

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A 2025 Egyptian TV series by Sameh Hussein [ar] was named Qatayef, in reference to the sweet.[44][45]

World records

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The Guinness world record for largest piece of qatayef was set in Bethlehem, Palestine, in 2010, and had a mass of 104.75 kilograms (230.9 lb).[46][47][48]

Consumption

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Qatayef are the most popular Ramadan dessert in several Arab countries; in Ramadan of 2015, Al Ghad reported that 120 million individual pieces of qatayef were consumed in Jordan, totaling 6 million kilograms, with other Ramadan desserts like asabe Zainab trailing behind.[49] One store in Nazareth was reported to sell over 1 ton of qatayef per day in 2016.[50]

Health concerns

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The high sugar, fat, and calorie content of qatayef has been reported as a cause for health concerns, particularly when fried, in news outlets such as Al Jazeera Arabic,[51] CNN Arabic,[52] Al Arabiya,[53] and Asharq Al-Awsat.[54] These reports advise those with health issues to instead consume qatayef made of whole grain flour, use honey instead of qatir syrup, use a filling of nuts or low-fat cheese over the high-fat qishta, avoid deep-frying, or simply abstain.[54][52]

[edit]
  • Levantine qatayef with syrup, served as a plain pancake or fried after being stuffed.
    Levantine qatayef with syrup, served as a plain pancake or fried after being stuffed.
  • Home made qatayef, both sides visible.
    Home made qatayef, both sides visible.
  • Contemporary qatayef with Nutella filling.
    Contemporary qatayef with Nutella filling.
  • Folded qatayef, not yet stuffed or fried.
    Folded qatayef, not yet stuffed or fried.
  • Qatayef, cone-shaped, fried, stuffed with qishta, topped with pistachios and qatir syrup.
    Qatayef, cone-shaped, fried, stuffed with qishta, topped with pistachios and qatir syrup.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Beyond borders: Tracing culinary exchange between Turkish and Arab cultures". Türkiye Today. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
  2. ^ a b ""القطايف" و"الخروب" عنوان موائد الغزيين في رمضان". Al Jazeera (in Arabic). 2015. Retrieved 24 February 2026.
  3. ^ "List of Tables", From Good King Wenceslas to the Good Soldier Švejk, Central European University Press, pp. 195–196, 2005-10-15, retrieved 2026-02-24
  4. ^ Freytag, Georg (1830). Lexicon Arabico-Latinum praesertim ex Djeuharii Firuzabadiique et aliorum Arabum operibus, adhibitis Golii quoque et aliorum libris, confectum (Vol.1 ed.). C. A. Schwetschke et filium. p. 468.
  5. ^ Badawi, Al-Saïd; Abdel-Haleem, Muhammad (2008). Arabic - English Dictionary of Qurʾanic Usage. BRILL. p. 767. ISBN 978-90-04-14948-9.
  6. ^ Isin, Mary [in Turkish] (8 January 2013). "Kadayif". Sherbet and Spice: The Complete Story of Turkish Sweets and Desserts. I.B. Tauris. ISBN 978-1-84885-898-5. Retrieved 24 February 2026.
  7. ^ a b Ergil, Leyla Yvonne (18 November 2022). "Turkish desserts that will warm your heart this winter". Daily Sabah. Retrieved 24 February 2026.
  8. ^ "The Ramadan Experience in Egypt". Archived from the original on 2019-05-07. Retrieved 2018-06-18.
  9. ^ "The sweet history of Qatayef". Roya news. Archived from the original on 2018-05-17. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  10. ^ "In Gaza, Qatayef tradition thrives during Ramadan". GULF NEWS. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  11. ^ a b al-Warrāq, Ibn Sayyār (Nov 26, 2007). Annals of the Caliphs' Kitchens: Ibn Sayyār Al-Warrāq's Tenth-century Baghdadi Cookbook. Translated by Nawal Nasrallah. BRILL. p. 422. ISBN 978-90-04-15867-2. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  12. ^ Elias, Leila Salloum; Salloum, Muna (2 December 2013). The Sweets of Araby: Enchanting Recipes From The Tales Of The 1001 Arabian Nights. The Countryman Press. pp. 118–119. ISBN 978-1-58157-180-6. Retrieved 11 April 2026.
  13. ^ Martellotti, Anna (2001). Il Liber de ferculis di Giambonino da Cremona: la gastronomia araba in Occidente nella trattatistica dietetica [Giambonino da Cremona's Liber de ferculis: Arab gastronomy in the West in dietary treatises] (in Italian). Schena. ISBN 978-88-8229-272-0. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  14. ^ Davidson, Alan (2014). The Oxford Companion to Food. Oxford University Press. pp. 661–662. ISBN 978-0-19-967733-7. Retrieved 24 February 2026.
  15. ^ Salloum, Habeeb; Salloum, Muna; Elias, Leila Salloum (25 June 2013). "QATA'IF". Sweet Delights from a Thousand and One Nights: The Story of Traditional Arab Sweets. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-0-85773-341-2. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
  16. ^ al-Karīm, Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥasan Ibn (2005). A Baghdad Cookery Book: The Book of Dishes (Kitāb Al-ṭabīkh). Prospect Books. ISBN 978-1-903018-42-2. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
  17. ^ a b "في مديح القطايف" [In praise of qatayef]. Ultrasawt (in Arabic). 28 Apr 2021. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  18. ^ a b "على مائدتك في رمضان.. اعرف أصل حكاية القطايف" [On your Ramadan table... Learn the origin of the story of Qatayef]. Al-Arabiya (in Arabic). 21 February 2026. Retrieved 24 February 2026.
  19. ^ منهل اللطايف فى الكنافة والقطايف. Al-Hilal (in Arabic). No. 4. 1 April 2003. Retrieved 24 February 2026.
  20. ^ a b c Marks, Gil (17 November 2010). Encyclopedia of Jewish Food. HMH. pp. 141–142. ISBN 978-0-544-18631-6. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  21. ^ Berggren, Jakob (1844). Guide français-arabe vulgaire des voyageurs dt des francs en Syrie et en Égypte: avec carte physique et géographique de la Ssyrie et plan géométrique de Jérusalem ancien et moderne, comme supplément aux voyages en orient [A French-Arabic guide for travelers and Franks in Syria and Egypt: with a physical and geographical map of Syria and a geometric plan of ancient and modern Jerusalem, as a supplement to travels in the Orient] (in Arabic and French). Leffler et Sebell. p. 268. Retrieved 28 Apr 2025. [dough made with the finest flour, well beaten and well kneaded, which is poured with a spoon into molds arranged in a pan, and filled with melted butter or sesame oil: they are then arranged with a kind of iron spatula on a metal tray, and honey or dibs (grape syrup) is poured over them; sometimes a multi-layer pastry is made from it, filled with nuts and flavored with honey]
  22. ^ Dalman, Gustaf (1935). Brot, Ol und Wein [Bread, Oil and Wine] (in German and Arabic). G. Olms. pp. 144–145. Retrieved 28 Apr 2026.
  23. ^ Naanou, Paul; Rhodes, Sam (2020). "Cultural Connections: Exploring the Mathematics of Qatayef". Mathematics Teacher: Learning and Teaching PK-12. 113 (12): 1034–1038. doi:10.5951/MTLT.2020.0164. ISSN 0025-5769. S2CID 230629195.
  24. ^ "عيد البربارة: من هي القديسة التي "هربت مع بنات الحارة"؟" [Saint Barbara's Day: Who is the saint who "ran away with the girls of the neighborhood"?]. BBC News Arabic (in Arabic). 3 Dec 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2025.
  25. ^ ""قطايف، قمح مسلوق وضحكات الاطفال": كيف يحتفى بعيد القديسة بربارة من جيل الى جيل؟" ["Qatayef, boiled wheat and children's laughter": How is Saint Barbara's Day celebrated from generation to generation?]. SBS. 4 Apr 2023. Retrieved 23 December 2025.
  26. ^ a b c Reem Kassis (29 Mar 2022). "The Dessert That Tastes Best One Month Out of Every Year". The New York Times. Retrieved 2 November 2025.
  27. ^ ""القطايف" تُحلّي مرارة العيش.. غزة تتمسك بطقوس رمضان" [Qatayef sweetens the bitterness of life... Gaza clings to Ramadan traditions]. Anadolu Agency (in Arabic). 2026. Retrieved 18 February 2026.
  28. ^ ""القطايف".. حلوى شعبية لفقراء وأغنياء غزة" [Qatayef: A popular dessert enjoyed by both the poor and the rich in Gaza]. Al Jazeera (in Arabic). 2015. Retrieved 24 February 2026.
  29. ^ a b "Amid soaring inflation, Lebanese look for cheaper alternatives to traditional Ramadan desserts". Arab News. 17 April 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2026.
  30. ^ "Bayramın vazgeçilmezi 'yassı kadayıf'" [The essential of Eid: 'flat kadayıf']. Anadolu Agency (in Turkish). 23 Jun 2019. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
  31. ^ "Malatya'nın baklavası: "Yassı kadayıf"" [Malatya's baklava: "Flat kadayıf"]. TRT Haber (in Turkish). 3 June 2019. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
  32. ^ "Malatya'da ramazanın olmazsa olmazı yassı kadayıf" [Flat kadayıf, a must for Ramadan in Malatya]. Hurriyet (in Turkish). 8 May 2019.
  33. ^ "MALATYA YASSI KADAYIFI" (PDF). ci.turkpatent.gov.tr (in Turkish). Retrieved 23 November 2025.
  34. ^ "Esnafa, Yassı Kadayıf Coğrafi İşaret Tescil Belgesi dağıtıldı" [Flat Kadayif Geographical Indication Registration Certificate was distributed to tradesmen.]. ERTV (in Turkish). 3 October 2022. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
  35. ^ a b "Qatayef: Ramadan's Iconic Sweet Preserves Tradition and Popularity in Jordanian Markets". The Jordan News Agency. 2026. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
  36. ^ Jeffes, Jane; Mousa, Sally (21 April 2023). "Recipes for Ramadan: Sally Mousa's qatayef (folded pancakes), five ways". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 November 2025.
  37. ^ Kassis, Reem (13 Apr 2022). "Qatayef Asafiri (Stuffed Semolina Pancakes) Recipe". NYT Cooking. Retrieved 2 November 2025.
  38. ^ "Qatayef, a sweet end to the Ramadan fast". Ynetnews. 18 July 2015. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
  39. ^ a b "بالفيديو: طرق سكب القطايف.. حلوى العائلات الأردنية برمضان" [Video: Ways to pour Qatayef... a Jordanian family dessert during Ramadan]. Al Jazeera (in Arabic). 2019. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
  40. ^ "Qatayef with nuts قطايف بالمكسرات". Egyptian Cuisine and Recipes. Retrieved 2018-03-14.
  41. ^ "القطايف.. الحلوى الرمضانية الأولى بالأردن" [Qatayef...the number one dessert in Jordan]. Al Jazeera (in Arabic). 2012. Retrieved 24 February 2026.
  42. ^ Sadat, Jehan (2002). A Woman of Egypt. Simon & Schuster. p. 48.
  43. ^ Abu-Zahra, Nadia (1999). The Pure and Powerful: Studies in Contemporary Muslim Society. Ithaca Press. ISBN 978-0-86372-269-1.
  44. ^ "قطايف سامح حسين.. اسماً على مسمى بمحتوى مختلف خلق له شعبية" [Sameh Hussein's Qatayef... a name that lives up to its meaning, with a unique content that has earned him popularity.]. Youm7 (in Arabic). 12 March 2025. Retrieved 24 February 2026.
  45. ^ "سامح حسين: تفاعل واسع على مواقع التواصل بـ "قطايف" الممثل المصري" [Sameh Hussein: Widespread interaction on social media with the Egyptian actor's "Qatayef"]. BBC News Arabic (in Arabic). 14 March 2025. Retrieved 24 February 2026.
  46. ^ "فلسطين تدخل غينيس مجدداً..." [Palestine enters Guinness again...] (in Arabic). 2010. Retrieved 24 February 2026.
  47. ^ Stub, Zev (3 December 2025). "Guinness World Records says it stopped taking records from Israel after October 7". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 24 February 2026.
  48. ^ "Largest qatayef". Guinness World Records. Retrieved 24 February 2026.
  49. ^ "الأردنيون أكلوا 120 مليون حبة قطايف برمضان" [Jordanians ate 120 million pieces of qatayef during Ramadan]. Al Ghad (in Arabic). 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  50. ^ "(فيديو) الناصرة.. هنا أصل الكنافة الخشنة" [(Video) Nazareth... This is the origin of the coarse knafeh]. The New Arab (in Arabic). 2016. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  51. ^ "كيف تؤثر حلويات رمضان على الجسم؟" [How do Ramadan sweets affect the body?]. Al Jazeera (in Arabic). 2026. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
  52. ^ a b "خطوات بسيطة لتحضير قطايف صحية خلال شهر رمضان" [Simple steps to prepare healthy qatayef during Ramadan]. CNN Arabic (in Arabic). 7 March 2025. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
  53. ^ "سموم تهدد الصحة.. مختصون: السمبوسك والقطايف خطر على القلب والمعدة" [Toxins that threaten health... Experts: Samosas and Qatayef are dangerous for the heart and stomach]. Al Arabiya (in Arabic). 5 March 2026. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
  54. ^ a b "طرق صحية لتناول القطايف لمرضى السكري" [Healthy ways to eat qatayef for diabetics]. Asharq Al-Awsat (in Arabic). 23 Feb 2026. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
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