Pistachio kataifi tarts with semolina custard

Soak the pistachios in warm water about 30 minutes so they keep their colour, then peel off whatever skins come away easily.

Stir three cups of granulated sugar with two cups of water in a saucepan and bring to a boil, then cook about five minutes to thicken.

Off the heat, stir a tablespoon of rose water or orange blossom water into the syrup and let it cool completely.

Whisk the two eggs and the yolk with the semolina flour, the cornstarch and a little of the sugar until smooth.

Heat the whole milk with the remaining sugar and a pinch of salt over medium until it begins to simmer, without stirring.

Off the heat, pour the hot milk a little at a time into the egg mixture, whisking constantly, then return it all to the saucepan.

Simmer over low heat, stirring without leaving it, until it boils and thickens, which happens quickly.

Off the heat, whisk in the unsalted butter, the vanilla extract and the rose water until the butter melts.

Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap against the surface so no skin forms; cool, and it can be made a day ahead and refrigerated.

Chop the kadaifi pastry a little, melt two sticks of unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium heat, add all the pastry and toast over low heat about 10 minutes, mixing to coat, until it is slightly crispy but takes on no colour.

Dry the peeled pistachios well with paper towels.

Working in two batches, put half the toasted pastry and half the pistachios in a food processor with a cup of confectioner sugar and pulse until finely ground.

Add a quarter cup of the syrup and a tablespoon or two of rose water and pulse a little more; it will not go completely smooth because of the nuts.

Press about half the mixture into the large tartlet pan and the rest into the small pans, covering the sides completely for a decorative edge and pressing the centre down to hold the custard.

Spread the semolina custard over the top in an even layer.

Chill 2 to 3 hours to set, then turn out of the pans.

Decorate with more syrup, crushed pistachios, dried rose leaves and chopped maraschino cherries, and serve extra syrup alongside. The syrup keeps about a week in an airtight container in the fridge.