Othmaliye Bil Ashta

Othmaliye bil ashta one of the best Middle Eastern desserts, featuring two layers of delicately baked kataifi shredded dough mixed with ghee or unsalted butter, achieving a golden crispy colour baked in the oven, then generously filled with creamy arabic ashta and drizzle of simple syrup.

Othmaliye Bil Ashta resembles two large layers of crispy kataifi shredded dough that looks like bird’s nest filled with a delicious homemade cream mixture, topped with simple syrup and pistachios.

The othmaliye crispy layer can be prepared ahead of time and filled later on, or even the second day. It can also be placed in the fridge after filling, and it will stay crispy for up to 2 days.

• 1 package 454g katiafi shredded dough
• 1 cup melted ghee or unsalted butter
• Arabic ashta 
• Simple syrup 
• crushed pistachios

✨Arabic Ashta✨( full detailed recipe found in this link https://baitiana.com/2024/03/11/arabic-ashta-القشطه-العربيه/

✨Ingredients✨

*Ricotta cheese:

• 2 L full-fat milk
• 1/3 cup vinegar

*cream mix:

• 1 L milk
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 7 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tsp rose water
• 2 tsp orange blossom water

✨Instructions✨

1.   In a pot, add 2 L of full-fat milk. When it warms up after a couple of minutes, add vinegar and mix until it starts to separate.
2.   Leave it for a couple of minutes until the liquid becomes clearer. Then, strain the cheese and remove any excess water. Set it aside.
3.   In another pot, combine 1 L of milk, sugar, cornstarch, orange blossom water, and rose water. Mix everything together, then turn on the heat. 
4. Keep stirring to prevent sticking to the bottom.
5.   When the mixture thickens, add the ricotta cheese that was prepared earlier. Mix everything together until smooth and well combined.
6.   Pour the mixture into a plate, cover it well, then refrigerate for a couple of hours before using or serving.

✨simple syrup✨

• 2 cups sugar 
• 1 cup water 
• 2 tsp lemon juice 
• 1 tsp rose water &1 tsp orange blossom water 

Combine sugar and water in a pot, and without stirring, heat the mixture until it starts bubbling. Once bubbling, add lemon juice, rose water, and orange blossom water. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and allow it to cool down.

1. First, start by making the ashta and simple syrup, then set them aside to cool down.

2. Separate the kataifi shredded dough with your fingers; don’t cut, just separate.

3. Add melted ghee or butter, then mix very well until fully combined

4. Divide the shredded dough in half and place each half in two trays of the same size. Then, press down using the tray.

5. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F until golden brown. It took about 30 minutes for me, but the timing may vary from one oven to another.

6. As soon as it comes out of the oven and while still hot, add about 1/4 cup of simple syrup to each layer.

7. flip to a flat tray then let it cool down.

8. When it’s completely cooled down, fill it with ashta, then add the top layer. Sprinkle some pistachios and rose petals on top, then refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving.

9: cut into pieces and serve with more simple syrup

✨Note✨

• The othmaliye crispy layer can be prepared ahead of time, a day or two before. Then fill it on the day you want to serve it.