Baklava
I got this recipe from my International Baking and Pastry Class. My Father in Law is Arabic and he loves this recipe so I’m guessing it’s pretty authentic.
Ingredients:
1 package of Phyllo sheets (comes frozen. I can usually only find Athens brand) Stick it in the fridge overnight to thaw.
5 cups chopped walnuts
1 Tsp. Cinnamon
3/4 cup sugar
1 lb of butter, unsalted.
For syrup:
1 cup honey
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 cup water
½ lemon
1 cinnamon stick
Method:
Take phyllo out of fridge and let it come to room temp while you prep.
Melt butter. If you feel so inclined, skim off the milk solids that float to the top.
Mix together: Walnuts, Cinnamon and Sugar. Set aside.
Lay out your Phyllo on a piece of waxed paper (or parchment paper).
Cover with another sheet of waxed paper and weigh it down with tea towel. (if you work slow, dampen that towel a bit). As you take out sheets of phyllo, cover it back up.. if it dries out, it’ll crumble into nothingness.
Brush melted butter on the bottom of a 9×13 pan.
Lay in one sheet of phyllo. The easiest way is to hold it be the corners of the short end and sort of drape it over the pan. .. like pulling up a sheet on the bed.
Brush phyllo with butter. repeat until you have 12 sheets of phyllo in the pan each brushed with butter.
spread 1/2 of the nut mixture in the pan.
Lay a sheet of phyllo over the nuts, brush with butter (this one will be tricky.. it will try to run away from you.. just hold down one end and brush the other until you’ve got it covered.
Repeat until you have 8 sheets of phyllo, each brushed with butter.
spread the remaining nut mixture in the pan.
(I bet you know what comes next!)
Lay in a sheet of phyllo, and brush with butter… repeat until you have 12 sheets layered but do not brush the last with butter. Brush with water instead. (I just misted it with my water bottle)
carefully score into trianges.. (I did diamonds but that can be tricky).
Bake at 350 for about 1 hour. I put my pan on a cookie sheet so that there is some insulation for the bottom of the pan.
While that is baking, mix together in a sauce pan.
1 cup honey
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 cup water
add 1/2 lemon (just toss in a 1/2 a lemon.. scrub the peel first) and 1 cinnamon stick broken in two.
Simmer for 10 minutes and set aside.
When the baklava is golden brown, take out of the oven. Remove the lemon and the cinnamon from the syrup and pour it immediately over the baklava (another reason for the sheet pan.. it might simmer over!)
Let cool. Follow your score marks to cut the baklava and serve at room temperature. (and for goodness sakes, do not put powdered sugar on it.. I had it served to me once Ice Cold with powdered sugar .. with a side of whipped cream and chocolate syrup.. at an EGYPTIAN restaurant.. I sent it back)
May be wrapped in plastic and foil and frozen
