Baklava

Baklava is a delightful and sweet pastry that originated in the Middle East and is enjoyed in many Mediterranean and Balkan cuisines. It consists of layers of thin, flaky pastry dough filled with a mixture of nuts, spices, and sweet syrup. Here’s a traditional recipe for making baklava:

Ingredients:

• 1 package (16 ounces or about 40 sheets) of phyllo pastry dough
• 1 1/2 cups (170g) unsalted butter, melted
• 2 cups (200g) mixed nuts (such as walnuts, pistachios, and almonds), finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
• 1 cup (240ml) water
• 1/2 cup (120ml) honey
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• Optional: Chopped nuts and powdered sugar for garnish

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
2. In a bowl, combine the finely chopped nuts, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and half of the granulated sugar. Mix well to evenly distribute the spices.
3. Unwrap the phyllo pastry sheets and keep them covered with a damp cloth or plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out.
4. Place a sheet of phyllo pastry in the prepared baking dish and brush it with melted butter. Repeat this process, layering the sheets and brushing each one with butter, until you have used about half of the phyllo sheets.
5. Spread the nut mixture evenly over the layered phyllo sheets.
6. Continue layering the remaining phyllo sheets on top of the nut mixture, brushing each sheet with melted butter as before.
7. Using a sharp knife, carefully score the top layers of the baklava into diamond or square shapes. This will make it easier to cut after baking.
8. Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for about 45-50 minutes, or until the baklava turns golden brown and crisp.
9. While the baklava is baking, prepare the syrup. In a saucepan, combine the remaining granulated sugar, water, honey, and lemon juice. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the syrup cool.
10. Once the baklava is out of the oven, immediately pour the cooled syrup over the hot pastry, ensuring it covers all the cut lines.
11. Allow the baklava to cool completely and absorb the syrup. This may take a few hours or overnight.
12. Once cooled, you can garnish the baklava with additional chopped nuts and a dusting of powdered sugar, if desired.
13. Cut the baklava along the scored lines and serve it as a sweet and indulgent dessert.