Are you looking for a new spooktacular treat to add to your haunting party? These Halloween nutty kataifi monsters will go perfectly with your mummy dogs, witch fingers pretzels, ghost brownies, spider cookies, Frankenstein Rice Krispies, and other fun and ghoulish treats.
Best of all, the messier you make them, the better they look! Bonus: they quickly turn into sweet haystacks for your Thanksgiving table!
Inspiration indeed strikes at funny times. The inspiration for these nut-filled fuzzy and sort of mummified monsters came to me at Easter.
Who thinks of Halloween at Easter? This girl, so you don't have to!
What is kataifi?
In Greece, kataifi is based on various dishes rolled or layered with it, including dessert pastries with nuts and sweet syrups. In Turkish, kadayif and Arabic kanafe can refer to the string pastry itself, or the entire dessert dish.
The list of spellings for shredded phyllo dough seems to go on: kadaif, kataifi, knafeh, kanafe, kenafeh, kunafeh, konafi, kadayif, künefe, etc.
Kataifi is the Greek name for kanafeh, and back home, we call it kadaif. Sheesh, I bet you'll be dreaming of all these words tonight! 😂
Fun with kataifi dough
After making kataifi cheesecake nests and wrapping spicy shrimp in it, I had plenty of dough leftover.
I was planning on making these rolls (which are the base recipe for these monsters) because they are my dad's favorite treat. Now I could've also made more nests and used them as cups for baklava ice cream. 🤔
Since I've never made kataifi rolls before (what kind of a daughter am I, right?), I searched for the recipe, and these perfect pretzel broomsticks popped up. How fun are they? 🤩
Let me tell you, they look super cute and easy, but they were not so fun to make. Or maybe it's the operator error. 😩
There's something terrifically fun in tearing apart the dough shreds, though, but I tossed away more pastry than I care to admit, all while swearing violently under my breath. Damn you, Heather, how do you do it?
I managed to make three broomsticks, and as you can see below, they're not nearly as neat as hers.
With Halloween still on my mind, thanks to Heather, I took my KATAIFI rolls out of the oven and instantly thought they resemble little haystacks. They would be perfect for Thanksgiving!
But add some chopped pistachios for teeth and candy eyes, and you get funny-looking Halloween nutty kataifi monsters.
Don't you love it when you get two for one? It also happened with this pumpkin hummus dip I recently made. It's a great appetizer for Thanksgiving that turns into a spooky Halloween treat with just a little tweaking. 🎃 Win-win.
How to make kataifi dough?
You don't make kataifi by actually shredding the fillo, although it is called shredded fillo dough. Not to say you couldn't try slicing fillo very thinly, but I don't think you'd get the same result.
This thin, noodle-like pastry uses the same dough recipe, but it's processed into thin strands for a shaggier texture.
The shredded phyllo, very similar to phyllo sheets, dries out quickly, so it's best to keep exposure to air at a minimum.
Brushing shredded phyllo with melted butter before baking helps prevent sticking and cracking and gives desserts like kataifi their golden color.
🔪 Instructions
Make the syrup:
- Add all the ingredients for the syrup into a small pot and bring to a boil. Stir until the sugar has completely dissolved; set aside to cool completely.
Make the kataifi rolls:
- In a food processor, process the walnuts, cinnamon, ground clove, and orange juice; transfer to a bowl.
- Untangle the shredded fillo dough with your fingers, gently spreading the strands apart.
- Take one piece of the kataifi dough, and spread it to about 6x2-inch in size. Drizzle with melted butter and place 1 tablespoon of the filling at one end. Roll it up tightly, folding the sides inwards, to form a small cylinder. Repeat with the rest of the kataifi dough and filling.
- Bake the kataifi at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 40-50 minutes, or until golden and crunchy.
- Remove from the oven and immediately ladle the cold syrup over the rolls. Set aside for 30 minutes to 1 hour, until all of the syrup has been soaked up.
How to store kataifi?
Store thawed shredded phyllo in the refrigerator under a damp towel and wrap tightly in plastic wrap; it will keep for about a week.
Working with kataifi can be tricky unless you're Heather Baird, but no worries! You're making monsters! Their charm is in their imperfections. 🙂 Kids adore these fuzzy but crunchy treats.
Before serving, add chopped pistachios to form the "teeth" and candy eyes to complete your Halloween nutty kataifi monsters. Trick or treat! 👻
What should I try next?
For Halloween-inspired dinner, serve these dishes:
- Halloween Pumpkin Hummus Dip
- Colorful Vegetable Cheese Pie
- Vertical Layer Pumpkin Orange Cake
- Butternut Squash And Apple Soup
- Pumpkin And Goat Cheese Pasta Bake
Liked this recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section. Your feedback is always appreciated! Stay in touch through Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook! Don't forget to sign up for my email list below too!
Halloween Nutty Kataifi Monsters
EQUIPMENT
- baking pan
Ingredients
Syrup
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- Orange or lemon rind
Kataifi rolls
Monster face
- 32-36 candy eyes
- chopped or sliced pistachios
- a tiny bit of melted white chocolate to "glue" the eyes, optional
Instructions
Syrup
- Add all the ingredients for the syrup into a small pot and bring to a boil. Stir until the sugar has completely dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside to cool completely.
Kataifi rolls
- To the food processor, add walnuts, cinnamon, ground clove, and orange juice. Pulsate until the walnuts are roughly chopped (not ground). Transfer to a bowl.
- Melt the butter and with a cooking brush grease the bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch baking pan.
- Take one piece of the kataifi dough, and spread it on a working surface or your palm to about 6x2-inch in size. Drizzle with melted butter and place one tablespoon of the filling at one end. Roll it up tightly, folding inwards the sides, to form a small cylinder.
- Place the kataifi roll in the pan and brush with melted butter, using the cooking brush to shape it a little bit. Repeat with the rest of the kataifi dough and filling. Place the kataifi rolls one next to the other, leaving almost no gaps between them and drizzle with remaining butter.
- Bake the kataifi on the middle rack in preheated oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 40-50 minutes, or until golden and crunchy.
- Remove from the oven and immediately ladle the ¾ of the cold syrup over each roll, enabling each ladle to be absorbed. Cover the pan with a towel and set aside for 10 minutes. Ladle the rest of the syrup over the kataifi. Set aside for 30 minutes to 1 hour, until all of the syrup has been soaked up.
- Before serving, add chopped pistachios to form the "teeth" and candy eyes to complete your Halloween nutty kataifi monsters. Trick or treat!
Notes
- Cover the dough with a slightly damp towel to keep it fresh and moist, or it will dry out and break up when you try to work with them.
- Serve these monsters on a plate because the syrup will make them moist (similar to baklava). However, you can reduce the amount of syrup if you wish to make them less sticky.
- "Gluing" of the eyes is optional. You can rest them on the top of the rolls - tuck the chopped pistachios between the shreds for teeth.
April J Harris says
What wonderful treats, Jas! your Hallowe'en Kataifi Monsters look fun, and delicious too! Thank you for sharing, and for being a part of the Hearth and Soul Link Party. Hope to see you again this week. Have a great week ahead!
Jas says
Thank you, April! They were truly fun to make and eat, of course! 😉 Hugs
the Painted Apron says
How incredibly cute! I've never heard or seen for that matter any kataifi, but it certainly is perfect for fall holidays! Brooms and haystacks are super creative!
Jenna
Jas says
Thank you much, Jenna! Kataifi is like baklava only with shredded dough. You are familiar with baklava, right? 🙂 x
Miz Helen says
Congratulations!
Your post is featured on Full Plate Thursday this week and it will be pinned to our features board. Hope you have a lovely day and thanks so much for sharing your post with us!
Miz Helen
Jas says
What a lovely surprise! Thank you so much, Miz Helen! I'm thrilled. x
kunstkitchen says
That's great idea!
Jas says
Thank you!
Lathiya says
These looks so cute and kids will enjoy for sure...Happy Fiesta Friday
Jacqui |Recipes Made Easy says
Yikes it seems far to early to think about halloween just yet, you are organised. Have to say these little fellows look fun! Thank you for linking to #CookBlogShare
Jas says
Lol Jacqui, I've been seeing Halloween recipes for a month now, so I thought I was late. 😀
Christine @ Rustic-Refined.com says
Those are so versatile and cool. I am going to put those on my of of must try's!
Jas says
Yes, they are, Christine! Hope you'll give it a try 🙂
Jann Olson says
These are just too cute! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
hugs,
Jann
Jas says
Many thanks, Jann! x
Amy says
Interesting and oh so cute. I have never heard of kataifi, but this looks like a great idea. Thank you for sharing at Satuday Shuffle Blog Hop.
Jas says
Hi Amy, I'm glad you like them. Kataifi is centuries old (it was documented as early as in the 10th century) and now that you've heard about it I bet you'll be noticing it all over the Internet. 🙂 X
Amy (Savory Moments) says
Oh my goodness - these are adorable and so creative!
Jas says
Thank you very much, Amy! x
helenfern says
I love these - pinned! Thanks for sharing at the What's for Dinner party.
Jas says
Many thanks, Helen!
Di (@ShinyGlitterBug) says
Oh wow, these are great! Thanks for the Halloween inspiration!
Di from Max The Unicorn
Jas says
You're welcome, Di! Thanks for stopping in!
Antonia says
These are awesome, Jas! I love kataifi, but would have never thought of using it this way. Thank you for sharing at Fiesta Friday!
Jas says
Thanks, Antonia! So glad you like it.
petitehaus says
oh my gosh how fun are these!! Thanks for sharing with Thursday Favorite Things!
Jas says
I'm happy you like them! 😀
Hilda says
These do look like fun. I can think of a couple of youngsters who would love these. Added to that, I certainly wouldn't object to eating them either.
Jas says
Thank you, Hilda! It's great for kids and adults alike 😀
kage2015 says
I have never made anything like this before. Can't wait to give it a go. Found you on Blogger's Pit Stop.
Jas says
I hope you'll give it a try! let me know if you have any questions, I'd be glad to answer them 🙂