READY IN 35 mins

Om Ali

Read Reviews (14)

"It's an Egyptian dessert that contains phyllo dough or puff pastry, milk and nuts. Use any kind of nuts that you would like and eat it with a spoon. Legend has it that Om Ali was the first wife of the sultan Ezz El Din Aybek. When the sultan died, his second wife had a dispute with Om Ali, resulting in the second wife's death. To celebrate, Om Ali made this dessert and distributed it among the people of the land." — NANCY GIRGIS

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Place the pastry sheets in the baking dish and place the dish in the oven. Watch it closely. When the top layer turns crunchy and golden, remove it from the oven. Continue until all the sheets are cooked.
Preheat the oven broiler.
In a bowl, combine walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, raisins, coconut and 1/4 cup sugar. Break cooked pastry into pieces and stir into nut mixture. Spread mixture evenly in 9x13 inch dish.
Bring milk and 1/2 cup sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Pour over nut mixture.
Beat the heavy cream with the remaining 1/2 cup sugar until stiff peaks form. Spread evenly over nut mixture in dish.
Place dessert under oven broiler until top is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Serve hot.

Kitchen-Friendly View

PREP 30 mins
COOK 5 mins
READY IN 35 mins

Reviews More Reviews

Most Helpful Positive Review

Apr 26, 2007

I am Egyptian and have been looking for a good Om Ali recipe, similar to the one I adore in Egypt. This IS it! Thanks Nancy for sharing a wonderful recipe - anymore Egyptian/Mediterranean recipes, please share!

—NANCYMOSTAFA

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Aug 31, 2009

This thickened up more after sitting in the fridge overnight. I don't know what this is supposed to taste like but it was good, just waaaaay too much sugar. I think you could safely halve it.

—Jenny B

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14 Ratings

Oct 08, 2003

Great dessert. Sweet and hugely "more-ish". I recommend varying the nuts and fruit to include flaked almonds and sultanas mixed with chopped dates. I live in the Middle East and eat Om Ali from the finest hotels here and this recipe is as good as any of them.

—ANTHONY HORWOOD

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Apr 07, 2008

Great for dessert or even at breakfast time. Also I use croissants instead of filo pastry, just break them up into small pieces it's very easy. I also sprinkle a little saffron on the top for 'decoration' :-)

—tina26

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Oct 08, 2003

My wife and I honeymooned in Egypt in July 2001. We first had this dessert at a little place called Paprika's in Cairo, and INSTANTLY fell in love with it! This recipe is quick, easy, and really captures the taste as we remember it. Doug & Michelle Eckert (East WIndsor, NJ)

—ECKERTD

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Apr 20, 2009

I have a similar recipe and I make this dessert often. As I know there no one "right" recipe for this dessert. You may substitute some nuts, play with amount. I use walnuts, hazelnuts, raisins, dates and coconut. I bring milk and sugar to a boil and then I add 1 egg. Be sure to use heavy cream. Delicious!

—DiamondGirl amanecer

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Dec 31, 2004

This is a special (BUT SUPER RICH!) treat!!! What's that about this not being presentable?? Be creative! If a dish tastes great, then it most certainly can be made to look great, too! I cut the philo pastry into long strips, putting a layer of strips on the bottom of the pan, covering with half the nut mixture, layering with the rest of the pastry, and topping with the leftover nuts. Also, I cut down on the sugar... for me, sweet with 1/2 cup in the milk & 1/2 cup in the cream!

—WildRose

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Apr 18, 2011

This was good however I did not watch it the first time when I broiled it and had my timer set for 10 mins and it burned it really bad. Second time, I watched it and in about 7 minutes it got slightly burned. Still tasted good, Just make sure to watch it carefully when you broil!

—Ilikefrenchies

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Nutrition

Calories
935 kcal
47%

Carbohydrates
87.4 g
28%

Cholesterol
30 mg
10%

Fat
62.3 g
96%

Fiber
6.7 g
27%

Protein
14.7 g
29%

Sodium
215 mg
9%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Om Ali

Serving Size: 1/8 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 8
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 935
Calories from Fat: 560

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 62.3g 96 %
Saturated Fat 19.5g 97 %
Cholesterol 30mg 10 %
Sodium 215mg 9 %
Potassium 618mg 17 %
Total Carbohydrates 87.4g 28 %
Dietary Fiber 6.7g 27 %
Protein 14.7g 29 %
Sugars 50.3g
Vitamin A 9 %
Vitamin C 3 %
Calcium 26 %
Iron 36 %
Thiamin 54 %
Niacin 48 %
Vitamin B6 17 %
Magnesium 33 %
Folate 46 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.