Kataifi Nests with Vanilla Panna Cotta

Ingredients

Makes 4 panna cotta

Kataifi Nests

Half a 375 packet Kataifi pastry

Butter or ghee, melted (we use Pepe Saya)

Pana Cotta

400ml milk

400ml pouring cream

1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped

150g of caster sugar

2 titanium strength gelatine leaves

Method

Kataifi Nests

Tease the Kataifi pastry apart with your fingers to loosen and place in a bowl (Place remainder back in the packet, sealed tightly for later use).

Pour over melted ghee, mixing with your hands to ensure the ghee is evenly distributed over the Kataifi pastry.

Pull away small bundles, roughly 10cm in length and begin twisting.

Place the twisted kataifi on a lined baking tray, arranging in a donut or nest shape.  Repeat with remaining pastry until you have as many nests as you need.  

Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool on a wire rack and then place on top of your set panna cotta, with any fruit of your choice.

Panna Cotta

Over a medium heat, bring the milk, cream, sugar and vanilla seeds and pod to a simmer, stirring regularly until the sugar dissolves. Then remove from the heat.

Place one gelatine leaf at a time into cold water to soften together (this will ensure they don’t stick) for about 30 seconds.

Once soft, squeeze out excess water and whisk the gelatine leaves into the warm cream to dissolve.

Strain the mixture into a large jug through a fine sieve. Pour into small decorative glasses.

Chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours or until set.

Lemon Curd and Custard Kataifi Tart

Ingredients

160g Kataifi pastry (a bit less than half a packet)

75g melted butter

Lemon Curd

½ cup caster sugar

Zest of 2 lemons

Juice of 1 lemon

3 egg yolks

75g butter, cubed

Vanilla Custard

2 cups full cream milk

2 eggs

2 heaped tbsp. corn flour

1 tbsp sugar (to taste)

1 vanilla bean, seeds

Method

Preheat your oven to 170 deg C.

Place the kataifi in a bowl separating the strands with your fingers to loosen the bundle.

Pour the melted butter over the kataifi working through with your hands to ensure the pastry is evenly coated.

Take small handfuls of the kataifi, laying across the pie dish, stretching out to cover the base and up the sides.  Continue with remaining kataifi until the dish is covered.

Bake for 12 mins or until golden brown. Allow the pie base to cool in the pan for 5 mins before carefully placing on a wire rack to cool completely.

Fill the kataifi pie base with the cooled custard, followed by the lemon curd and top with fresh raspberries or fresh fruit of your choice.  Serve immediately.

For the lemon curd

Place the sugar, lemon juice, zest and egg yolks in a bowl over a heavy-based saucepan filled with a little water on medium heat.

Whisk constantly for 10 to 15 minutes, or until mixture begins to thicken and coats the back of the spoon.

Remove from the heat and gradually whisk in butter until combined. Cover surface with cling wrap and place in the fridge for 2 hours or until chilled.

For the vanilla custard

Heat the eggs, milk, sugar, corn flour and vanilla in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. 

Stir continuously until the custard begins to thicken and coats the back of the spoon. 

Leave the custard to cool completely before pouring into the cooled tart case.