Baklava is a delicious Middle Eastern combination of walnuts and Pistachios with several layers of phyllo pastry held together with a simple delicious syrup. Some say it originated in Turkey, but its origins are really unknown. Vairious nuts can be used or walnuts solo. This baklava recipe is not really traditional, but it is the cook n’ share method of doing it.
As I said previously, you do not have to use the nuts in this recipe, but they produce a delicious combination of flavours. The walnuts are important but any kind of nuts can be combined with them. If you do not have a food processor, you can put them in a bag and pound them or even use a blender.
We simply add cinnamon as a spice but nutmeg, all spice can be used. By all means, add the spices of your choice.
You can pick the phyllo dough up in any grocery store just about anywhere. Make sure, however, you let it thaw in the fridge for about twelve or 24 hours. When putting the layers on make sure it is cover with a damp cloth or it will become dry.
The number of layers is a matter of choice. I go 8 on the bottom and a layer of nuts. Three layers of five with nuts in between and a final layer of eight. I also only butter every second layer. It is best to dab the butter as the dough is so thin.
A nine by thirteen pan seems to work perfect if you cut the dough in half, but you can trim the dough to whatever pan you have on hand.
You can cut it in any direction, but I like to do several cuts diagonally and then about 3 cuts straight. It is simply a matter of preference.
They syrup is a matter of preference, as well. I use water, sugar, and honey, and lemon or orange juice, but you can add other mixtures too. For example, if you want to add more honey and less sugar, you can do that.
It is important to let the baklava sit at room temperature for at least twelve hours to let the syrup sink and and harden.
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- 3 cups of walnuts
- 1/2 cup of pistachios + 1/4 cup for garnishing
- 2 tsp of cinnamon
- 450 grams of phyllo dough
- 1 cup of water
- 1 cup of granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup of honey
- 1 tbsp of lemon or orange juice
- 2 stick (1 cup) melted unsalted butter
- Heat your oven to 350 F or 177 C.
- Add the walnuts, pistachios,and cinnamon to a food processor or blender. Pulse a few times until chopped up.
- Lay the dough out and cut it in half, and cover it with a damp cloth.
- Butter the bottom of a nine by thirteen pan and lay two layers of dough into the bottom and dab the butter onto it. Continue this process until you get eight layers.
- Spread some nuts over the top.
- Add another 5 layers buttering every two and the top layer. Spread another layer of nuts over the top.
- Continue the five layers three more times.
- The top layer should be the same as the bottom. In other words, eight layers, buttering every two. In total you mush have 30 -35 sheets of dough.
- Place in the oven for 45 – 50 minutes.
- In the meantime, combine the water, sugar, honey, and lemon juice in a sauce pan. Stir it, bring it to a boil, let it cool, and set it aside.
- Pour the cooled syrup over top of the baklava, and let it sit, at room temperature,for about 12 hours.
- Slice, serve, and enjoy your baklava.
