Arabic recipesSweets
Znoud el-Sit: Crispy Phyllo Cream Rolls with Qishta & Pistachios
Znoud el-Sit is a beloved Ramadan pastry across Iraq and the Levant featuring crisp layers of phyllo wrapped around a bake-stable cream of milk custard and Arabic qishta. Baked golden with ghee, dipped in cold orange blossom syrup, and tipped with pistachios, each roll contrasts shattering pastry with cool cream.
Also known as:Ladies' arms phyllo pastryCrispy ashta rollsBaked phyllo cigars with cream
Servings10
Prep time25 min
Cook time20 min
Ingredients
Add ingredients to cart- 480 g fresh phyllo / baklava pastry sheets
- For the stable qishta filling: 500 ml whole milk, 3 tbsp cornstarch, 1 tbsp fine semolina, 2 crushed tears mastic, and 170 g thick Arabic qishta
- 120 g melted pure ghee for oven baking (or neutral oil for frying)
- 100 g finely chopped peeled pistachios
- For the cold syrup: 400 g sugar, 200 ml water, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp orange blossom water
Preparation Steps
- 1Simmer the syrup sugar and water for 8 minutes, stir in lemon juice and orange blossom water, and cool completely.
- 2Whisk cold milk, cornstarch, and fine semolina over medium heat until thick, remove from heat, fold in crushed mastic and Arabic qishta, and chill completely under plastic wrap.
- 3Brush two overlapping wide strips of phyllo lightly with ghee, spoon chilled cream near the base, fold both sides tightly inward, roll into a neat cylinder, and seal the edge with a dab of flour-water paste.
- 4Arrange seam-side down on a tray, brush generously with melted ghee, and bake at 190 °C for 20 to 22 minutes until crisp and deep golden.
- 5Dip the hot rolls briefly into cold syrup for just a few seconds, drain on a rack, press both ends into crushed pistachios, and serve warm.
