جوذاب خبز القطائف

This delightful recipe hails from the rich culinary tradition of Medieval Iraq, specifically from the city of Mosul, recorded by Ibn al-Karim in the early 13th century (1184–1240 CE). These were times of grand banquets and elaborate confections, where the interplay of sweet and savory dishes was highly prized. Qatayif, originally a festive pancake especially popular during Ramadan, took on many guises—layered, stuffed, and lavishly dressed. Here, it is transformed into a luxurious dish bridging dessert and main course, combining aromatic waters, nuts, sugar syrups, and saffron-tinted roast chicken atop a base of delicately layered pancakes. The technique speaks to the medieval courtly kitchens’ penchant for intricate, multi-layered preparations that dazzled their guests.

In Ibn al-Karim's time, the recipe would have been assembled in a brazier-heated wide shallow brass or copper pan, referred to as a 'dast' (cooking pan or dish). Pancakes would be baked on a flat griddle over a wood or charcoal fire. Nuts would be pounded in a mortar and pestle, and sugar would be broken or ground by hand. Rose or orange blossom water, butter, and saffron were highly prized kitchen staples. Roasted chicken would have been spit-roasted over open coals and then colored with saffron before being placed atop the layered dish. A simple cloth or wooden cover would help keep the dish warm and aromatic during the final melding of flavors.