Baklava
Yield: 36 pieces | Total Time: 2 hours, 15 minutes
Filling:
3 cups shelled pistachios
3 cups shelled walnuts
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cardamon
1 Tbsp. finely grated lemon peel
Syrup:
1 cup water
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup honey
2 cinnamon sticks
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
For Assembly:
28 9”x14” inch frozen phyllo dough sheets, thawed overnight in refrigerator
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted
Make filling. Preheat oven to 350° F. Spread pistachios and walnuts on two separate rimmed baking sheets and bake for 5 minutes. Transfer pistachios to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Measure 1/4 cup of chopped pistachios into a small bowl and set aside. Transfer remaining pistachios to a large bowl. Place walnuts in the food processor and pulse until finely chopped, then transfer to the large bowl with the pistachios. Add sugar, cinnamon, cardamon, and lemon peel and stir until combined.
Make syrup. In a medium saucepan, combine water, sugar, honey, cinnamon sticks and lemon juice and heat until boiling, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium low and continue to cook until sauce has thickened and reduced to about 2 cups, 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat.
Assemble baklava. Remove phyllo dough from refrigerator. Unroll onto a clean work surface and cover with a clean damp dish towel. Layer 2 sheets of phyllo onto a 13” x 9 baking sheet and brush generously with melted butter. Repeat until you have a total of 10 layers. (Note, you can simply fold any overhanging phyllo sheets down, alternating each layer so that half of the overhang is folded onto the top of the pan and half on the bottom of the pan.) Spread 1/3 of of filling mixture (2 cups) evenly over the phyllo sheets in the pan. Layer 2 more sheets of phyllo and brush generously with butter. Repeat until you have a total of 6 sheets. Spread 1/3 of filling and spread evenly. Repeat, layering 6 additional sheets, brushing every 2 generously with melted butter. (See reference below.) Cover with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
10 sheets phyllo dough
2 cups filling
6 sheets phyllo dough
2 cups filling
6 sheets phyllo dough
2 cups filling
6 sheets phyllo dough
Bake Baklava. Preheat oven to 350° F. Remove pan with baklava from refrigerator. Using a sharp knife, score the baklava by cutting through top layers of pastry (do not cut all the way through) to make 6 strips lengthwise, then cut 10 strips diagonally to form diamond shaped pieces. Spray lightly with water. Bake until golden brown, about 45 minutes. Pour syrup over hot baklava then top with remaining pistachio pieces. Let cool at room temperature in pan for at least 2 hours.
Cook’s Note: Baklava can be kept covered for at room temperature for up to one week.
