Kadaifi Me Krema (greek Shredded Wheat Pastry With Custard)

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 4 cups milk
• 1 pinch salt
• 3/4 cup semolina (cream of wheat)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 eggs, beaten to blend
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 lb kadaifi, thawed if frozen (shredded pastry)
• 3/4 cup butter, melted
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 3 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 strip fresh lemon rind

Recipe

• 1 for custard: combine milk and semolina in a heavy pan; blend in beaten eggs and add salt and sugar; place over medium heat and stir constantly until thickened and bubbling; remove from heat, stir in butter and vanilla extract and cover top of custard with plastic wrap (directly on surface of custard) to prevent a skin from forming.
• 2 for pastry: place kadaifi in a large bowl and gently separate strands with fingers.
• 3 grease 13 x 9 inch glass oven dish with some of the.
• 4 butter; put half the kadaifi in the base, pressing it down somewhat to make it compact; drizzle 1/4 cup butter evenly over it; pour custard filling over kadtaifi, spreading it evenly; top with remaining kadaifi; spread evenly and pat down gently; pour remaining melted butter evenly over top.
• 5 bake in a preheated 375°f oven for 45 minutes until golden-brown; remove from oven and cool completely.
• 6 for syrup: dissolve sugar in water over medium heat, add lemon rind and cinnamon stick and bring to the boil; add lemon juice and boil over medium heat for 15 minutes, skimming when necessary; do not stir once syrup is boiling; strain hot syrup over cooled pastry; leave until cold and cut into diamond shapes to serve.