Baqalawa

Ingredients

 * 1 package of filo (baqalawa) dough papers, thawed to room temperature
 * 3 cups of ground almonds or pistachio nuts
 * 1 cup of finely chopped almonds or pistachio nuts
 * 1 cup of powdered sugar
 * 2 teaspoons of ground cardamom
 * ¾ cup of melted butter

Syrup

 * 2 cups of sugar
 * 1 cup of honey
 * 2 cups of water
 * juice of one lemon

Directions

 * 1) In a saucepan, bring the syrup ingredients to a boil.
 * 2) Reduce heat and simmer for about five minutes (be careful not to boil over the syrup).
 * 3) Remove from heat and put aside for later.
 * 4) In a mixing bowl combine the nuts, powdered sugar, and cardamom.
 * 5) Open the filo dough, but keep it covered with a kitchen towel to keep it from drying out.
 * 6) Lay out one sheet of filo dough.
 * 7) Brush melted butter over it.
 * 8) Lay another sheet of filo dough on top of the first one.
 * 9) Again, brush with melted butter.
 * 10) Lay a third sheet of filo dough on top, and again brush with butter.
 * 11) Across the middle of the top sheet, make a line of nut mixture, about four rounded tablespoons of nut mixture.
 * 12) Fold the filo dough in half over the nut mixture so that the nut mixture is right inside the fold.
 * 13) Then roll up the filo dough as tight as you can, with the nut mixture being in the very middle.
 * 14) Carefully move this "log" of filo dough to a baking sheet.
 * 15) On the baking sheet, diagonally cut into ¾ inch pieces with a shape knife.
 * 16) Repeat the process again until you have used all of the filo dough.
 * 17) Drizzle any remaining butter over the baqalawa pieces on the baking sheet.
 * 18) Bake for 35 – 40 minutes in a pre-heated 350°F oven or until lightly browned.
 * 19) Remove from the oven.
 * 20) Take five or six pieces of baqalawa at a time and dip them into the syrup allowing them to soak up syrup for about 15 seconds.
 * 21) Remove them from the syrup and place them in a strainer or on a rack where the excess syrup can drip off.