Kataifi Pistachio Parfaits

Method

1. 1Toast the kataifi. Chop into 2–3cm pieces with scissors. Melt butter in a wide pan over medium heat, add kataifi and stir constantly for 5–8 minutes until evenly golden. It turns from pale to golden quickly, so watch it. Transfer to a bowl, cool completely, then mix thoroughly with the pistachio cream until coated.
2. 2Make the ganache. Chop the dark chocolate finely and place in a small bowl. Heat 60ml of heavy cream until it just simmers, pour over the chocolate and let sit 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Set aside at room temperature — it should be pourable but not hot when you layer.
3. 3Make the mascarpone cream. Beat the mascarpone, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream to soft peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone. The result should be light but stable.
4. 4Assemble the parfaits just before serving, or up to 30 minutes ahead — the kataifi loses its crunch after about an hour in contact with the cream. Layer in glasses: mascarpone cream first, then kataifi-pistachio filling, then a drizzle of ganache. Repeat if the glasses are large enough.
5. 5Top with a final spoonful of mascarpone cream, another drizzle of ganache, and a scatter of crushed pistachios.
6. 6Serve immediately for maximum crunch, or keep in the fridge for up to 30 minutes. After that the kataifi softens but the dessert is still good — just a different texture.