Serves
Serves 8
This is a dish redolent with warmth and the flavours of the Middle East. At Thyme, in support of the #CookforSyria campaign, we will be serving Om Ali as a breakfast dish to hotel guests and teaching our guests in the cookery school how to make it.
Perfect for breakfast or as a dessert and delicious at any time of year with seasonal fruits. In the summer we used apricots, but as the autumn closes in the figs are a delicious addition. Originating from Egypt, Om Ali is eaten throughout the Middle East – it’s easy, quick to prepare and once tried will become a firm breakfast (or dessert) favourite.
Ingredients
- 3 sheets of filo pastry
- Melted butter
- 120g raisins
- 6 fresh figs, quartered
- 90g flaked almonds
- 90g pistachio nuts
- 500ml whole milk
- 150ml double cream
- 100g sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp rose water
Topping
- 3 sheets of filo pastry
- Melted butter
- 40g toasted flaked almonds
- 40g chopped pistachio nuts
- 1tsp cinnamon
- 50g sugar
- Rose syrup
- Oven 160°C
Method
- Brush the sheets of filo pastry with the melted butter, lay on a baking sheet and bake until golden, aprox 6-7 mins.
- Roughly break up the filo and layer in a buttered oven proof dish (8”x12”) with raisins, figs, almonds and pistachios. Whisk the milk, cream, eggs, sugar, cinnamon and rose water together and pour over. Bake, covered with foil in a bain marie for approximately 40 minutes or until set.
- For the topping again brush the filo pastry sheets with melted butter and crumple over the top of the dish. Bake until golden.
- Sprinkle with the toasted almonds, pistachios, cinnamon and