Cheese Rakakat
Raqaqat JebnehCheese rakakat are slim, crisp pastry cigars served hot as part of Lebanese mezze. This lesson pairs properly desalted akkawi with a restrained amount of low-moisture mozzarella: the akkawi provides the characteristic savory flavor, while the mozzarella gives a controlled cheese pull without making the filling wet. Success depends on dry cheese, compact rolling, securely sealed seams, and steady frying temperature.
Know what you are cooking
A Pan-Lebanese hot-mezze preparation found in homes, restaurants, and pastry shops. Cheese mixtures vary by household and establishment: parsley is common, a little dried or fresh mint may be used, and some cooks rely entirely on a suitable melting Lebanese white cheese. The defining practice is a thin, crisp wrapper around a savory cheese filling rather than a heavy layer of pastry.
Serve immediately as a hot mezze, usually alongside vegetables, pickles, olives, hummus, or other small plates. Allow three cigars per mezze serving.
- Desalt and drain akkawi sufficiently without washing away all of its character.
- Balance a flavorful Lebanese white cheese with a modest melting cheese for controlled stretch.
- Roll thin pastry into compact, evenly shaped cigars without trapping air.
- Seal the wrappers so the cheese remains enclosed during frying.
- Maintain frying oil at 175–180°C for a crisp, non-greasy finish.
Ingredients
Digital kitchen scale · Box grater or food processor · Mixing bowl · Small bowl and pastry brush · Clean damp kitchen towel · Tray lined with baking paper · Deep, heavy saucepan or countertop fryer · Frying thermometer · Long tongs or frying spider · Wire rack set over a tray
Method
- 1
Mix the dry cheese filling
Combine the grated akkawi, mozzarella, parsley and black pepper. Squeeze a small portion in your hand: it should hold loosely together without releasing water. Do not add salt before tasting the properly desalted akkawi.
Look, smell, feelThe filling feels cool and moist but not wet; no liquid collects at the bottom of the bowl.SafetyKeep the cheese refrigerated until use. If desalting is required, soak it only under refrigeration in clean cold water, changing the water as needed. - 2
Make the sealing paste
Stir the flour and cold water into a smooth, thick paste with the consistency of light glue. Keep the pastry sheets stacked beneath a barely damp towel so their edges remain flexible.
Look, smell, feelThe paste coats the brush without running like water, and the wrappers bend without cracking.SafetyThe towel should be damp, not wet; excess water makes the wrappers sticky and prone to tearing. - 3
Fill and roll
Place one wrapper with a corner pointing toward you. Arrange about 22 g filling in a compact 9 cm line, leaving a 3 cm border. Fold the near corner firmly over the filling, roll once, fold both side corners inward, then continue rolling into a slim cigar. Brush the final corner lightly with flour paste and place seam-side down. Repeat with the remaining wrappers.
Look, smell, feelEach cigar is evenly filled, approximately 10–11 cm long, and firm without being stretched tight; no cheese protrudes from the ends.SafetyDo not leave filled pastries or cheese at room temperature for more than 2 hours in total, or 1 hour in very hot conditions above 32°C. - 4
Chill and set the seams
Arrange the cigars seam-side down in one layer, cover, and refrigerate for 8 minutes. This brief rest firms the cheese and helps the pasted seams adhere.
Look, smell, feelThe seams stay closed when gently lifted, and the cigars feel cool and slightly firmer.SafetyRefrigerate rather than resting at room temperature. - 5
Heat the frying oil
Pour enough oil into a deep, heavy pan to provide at least 5 cm depth while leaving substantial headroom. Heat to 175°C. Prepare a wire rack over a tray before frying.
Look, smell, feelA thermometer reads 175°C; the oil is fluid and shimmering but never smoking.SafetyNever fill the pan more than halfway with oil. Keep water away from hot oil, use long utensils, and never leave the pan unattended. - 6
Fry and drain
Fry the rakakat seam-side down in small batches without crowding. Turn as needed and maintain 175–180°C until evenly golden and crisp, about 2–3 minutes per batch. Lift onto the rack and allow each batch to drain briefly before serving.
Look, smell, feelThe wrappers are blistered, audibly crisp and pale golden to golden brown; only an occasional small bead of cheese may appear at a seam.SafetyLower pastries away from you to prevent splashes. If oil smokes, remove it from the heat. Never extinguish an oil fire with water; follow local fire-safety guidance.
Chef notes
- The moisture level of the filling matters more than adding extra cheese. Pat both the akkawi and parsley very dry.
- Taste akkawi after soaking. It should remain pleasantly savory; excessive soaking produces a bland, watery filling.
- Low-moisture mozzarella is deliberately limited to keep the cheese pull neat and reduce leakage.
- Fry one test cigar first. If it bursts, dry or chill the filling further and check that the ends and seam are closed.
- For consistent restaurant-style portions, weigh 22 g filling for each wrapper.
- Serve after a brief one-minute cooling period: the wrapper stays crisp while the molten cheese becomes safer and easier to eat.
Common mistakes
- Using fresh mozzarella packed in liquid, which makes the filling wet and encourages bursting.
- Failing to drain desalted akkawi thoroughly.
- Overfilling or rolling too tightly, leaving no space for the cheese to expand.
- Leaving air pockets around the filling, which expand during frying.
- Using too much sealing paste, which creates gummy or dark patches.
- Crowding the pan and allowing the oil temperature to fall, producing greasy pastry.
- Frying above 180°C, which browns the wrapper before the center is hot.
Practical substitutions
- Akkawi may be replaced with a well-drained Lebanese braided cheese such as majdouleh, adjusted by soaking under refrigeration until pleasantly salted; its fibrous texture will give a slightly different filling.
- Halloumi may replace part of the akkawi, but it melts less and produces a firmer, saltier result; desalt if necessary and retain some melting cheese.
- A small amount of finely chopped fresh mint or a pinch of dried mint may replace part of the parsley in a recognized household variation.
- Use wrappers labeled suitable for frying. Phyllo is not a direct one-sheet substitute because it requires layering with fat and a different rolling method.
- For a strictly vegetarian dish, verify that all cheeses were made with microbial or other non-animal rennet.
Plan and store
Make ahead: Prepare and roll the rakakat up to 12 hours ahead; refrigerate them covered in one layer so the pastry does not dry out. For longer preparation, freeze uncooked cigars in one layer until firm, then package airtight and keep at -18°C for up to 1 month for best quality. Fry from frozen in small batches, allowing extra time while maintaining the oil temperature.
Storage: For best texture, eat immediately. Refrigerate cooled leftovers in a covered container within 2 hours, or within 1 hour when ambient temperature exceeds 32°C, and use within 2 days. Follow local health guidance if it is more restrictive. Do not store food that has remained outside safe temperature control beyond these limits.
Reheating: Reheat refrigerated rakakat on a rack in a 190°C oven for approximately 6–8 minutes, until crisp and steaming hot throughout; a conservative internal target is 74°C. Do not microwave if a crisp wrapper is desired. Reheat only once.
Plate and serve
Arrange three hot cigars per person on a warm platter, either parallel or in a low stack that does not trap steam. Garnish sparingly with dry parsley leaves and serve promptly with fresh vegetables or pickles; avoid pouring sauce over the pastry.
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