Where Traditions Overlap
Over the last two years, Ramadan and Shrove Tuesday have coincided. One is a sacred month observed by Muslims around the world. The other marks the start of Lent in the Christian calendar.
Different traditions. Different histories.
Yet both share something unexpectedly similar: pancakes.
What is Qatayef?
Qatayef is a traditional Middle Eastern Ramadan dessert made from a yeasted pancake batter. Unlike British pancakes, qatayef are cooked on one side only, leaving the surface soft and porous so it can hold a filling.
They are typically stuffed with:
- Spiced nuts
- Sweet cheese
- Cream
They are then either fried and soaked in syrup or served fresh and folded.
Across the Middle East, qatayef is synonymous with Ramadan. It appears in bakeries, on family tables at iftar and in homes where batches are made to share after sunset.
Why Does It Overlap With Shrove Tuesday?
Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake Day, is traditionally a way to use up rich ingredients before Lent begins.
When Pancake Day and Ramadan fall in the same week, it highlights something simple but powerful. Food traditions across cultures often take similar forms.
At Fil, that overlap reflects what we are about.
A Brand Shaped by Lived Experience
Fil is different from many traditional Middle Eastern brands because we do not attempt to replicate the aesthetics of the homeland. We are not recreating a nostalgic image of somewhere else.
Instead, we have forged our identity around our lived experiences.
Growing up here. Eating there. Moving between both.
So when Ramadan and Pancake Day coincide, we do not see contrast. We see connection. That in between space is where Fil sits.
Respectful of tradition. Comfortable evolving it.
Fil’s Qatayef Recipe
Pancake Dough
Ingredients
- 1 cup plain flour
- ½ cup fine semolina
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp instant yeast
- 1 tsp baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- 1¼ cups warm water
- ½ tsp vanilla extract, optional
Method
- Mix the dry ingredients.
- Whisk in warm water and vanilla until smooth.
- Rest for 30 to 45 minutes until bubbly.
- Pour small rounds into a non stick pan and cook on one side only until the surface is set and covered in bubbles.
- Cover with a towel to keep soft.
Then comes the filling, and this is where we bring our own flavour language to the format. Here are two fillings using Fil's Shatta Jam:
Nut Filling
- 1 cup walnuts, chopped
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tbsp Fil’s Shatta Jam, gently heated to loosen
Mix and spoon into the centre before folding. The warmth of cinnamon and walnut meets gentle chilli heat.
Ricotta Filling
- 1 whole ricotta
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp Fil’s Shatta Jam
Mix and spoon into the centre before folding. The creamy, lightly sweet ricotta with the balanced heat of the Shatta Jam is dangerously moreish.
Serve fresh, or lightly baked or fried. Either way, it has to be finished with a generous pour of sugar syrup.
Ramadan Mubarak, Happy Shrove Tuesday, Sahtein, and Enjoy!
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