Baklava is a delicacy found throughout the Middle Eastern world. This sweet pastry comes in a multitude of varieties.
Ingredients[]
Pastry[]
- 1 lb phyllo pastry sheet
- 1½ cups melted unsweetend butter
- 2 cups walnuts, pistachio nuts or hazelnuts, roughly chopped
Syrup[]
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 tsp lemon juice
Directions[]
Pastry[]
- Place sheets of phyllo pastry in a 13x9x2 inch pan, brushing every other sheet evenly with butter.
- When ten or twelve sheets are in place, combine pistachios and spread ⅓ of this over the sheet.
- Place another five or six buttered sheets of phyllo on top of the pistachios
- Repeat this process two more times, alternating pistachios with five or six sheets of buttered phyllo.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
- With a sharp knife, cut baklava into square shaped pieces.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
- Reduce the temperature to 300°F (150°C) and continue to bake for one hour.
Syrup[]
- In a saucepan combine water, sugar and lemon juice.
- Heat mixture until a drop forms when placed into a cup of cold water, then simmer for an additional 20 minutes.
- When the baklava is baked, pour syrup over it.