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Baklava
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When correctly made, this delightful, unforgettable pastry from Persia via the Byzantine Empire is unexcelled as a palate-pleasing dessert. Known as the "sweet of a thousand layers," the baklava consists of layers of paper-thin pastry with sweet-spiced nuts between them and is drenched with lemon-flavored honey syrup after it is baked. The pastry (called filo, Greek for "leaf") requires much experience to make at home. Our advice: Don't. It is readily available in Greek, Middle Eastern, and some Italian stores in 1-pound packages with 16 to 25 paper-thin sheets of dough per package.
Using Filo. If the filo is frozen, defrost it according to the directions on the box, which require that the pastry be left in the airtight plastic wrapping so it will not dry out. Filo dries quickly and crumbles after it is opened, so cover it with a smooth, damp kitchen towel (not the Turkish type) to keep it at a workable consistency. Should you tear one of the sheets while you're working with it, use it between whole sheets. Do not try to patch it together with water; it will become pastry and sticky. Finally, the secret to the successful use of filo is butter. Do not let your parsimony or calorie consciousness intrude here! If you skimp on the amount you use, or skip spreading it on some of the sheets, your pastry will emerge sodden instead of flaky and crisp. (Yields about 120 pieces)
Ingredients:
| Pastry | 1 pound shelled walnuts, coarsely ground |
| 1 pound shelled almonds, coarsely ground | |
| 1 cup granulated sugar | |
| 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon | |
| 1/2 teaspoon allspice | |
| 1 teaspoon nutmeg | |
| 1 teaspoon ground cloves | |
| 1/2 teaspoon mace | |
| 1 pound filo pastry | |
| 1 pound butter, melted - it must flow easily | |
| Whole cloves | |
| Honey Syrup | 3 cups granulated sugar |
| 3 cups water | |
| 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice | |
| 1 stick cinnamon | |
| 6 whole cloves | |
| Peel of 1 orange (not grated) | |
| 1 1/2 cup of honey | |
| 1 teaspoon vanilla | |
| Baking Pan | 10 1/2 by 14 1/2 by 2-inch aluminum baking pan, ungreased |
Preparation:
| Step 1 | In a large bowl mix nuts with sugar and spices. Brush bottom of a 10 1/2 by 14 1/2 by 2-inch baking pan with melted butter. Then, brushing each with melted butter, place 6 sheets of filo in the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle on a thin layer of the nut mixture. Continue alternating filo, butter, and the nut mixture until all of the nuts are used. Again, buttering between each layer, add 6 to 8 more filo sheets to the stack in the pan. Butter the top. |
|
Step
2
|
Then cut these
strips diagonally 1-inch wide to form the small, traditional diamond-shaped
pieces (as shown in the diagram above.) It
is very important that the width of the diagonal cut be the same
as that of the vertical cut. |
| Step 3 | Bake in a 300 degree oven for approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes (until evenly browned). |
| Step 4 | During the last 45 minutes of the baking, prepare the honey syrup by combining the sugar, water, lemon juice, cinnamon stick, cloves, orange peel, and honey. Boil this syrup for 20 to 25 minutes. Add the vanilla at the last minute before using. Remove and discard the cinnamon stick, cloves, and orange peel. |
| Step 5 | Remove the baked baklava from the oven and immediately, but carefully, pour all but 3/4 cup of the boiling syrup over it. Return the 3/4 cup of syrup to the heat and boil for an additional 5 minutes. |
| Step 6 | Meanwhile, return the baklava to the oven and bake 3 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and pour the remaining syrup over the top. |
| Step 7 | Allow the baklava to cool at room temperature for at least 6 hours before using. |
With
a sharp, serrated knife, cut the baklava into vertical strips
a full 1-inch wide (as shown in the diagram on the left). Be sure
to cut to the bottom of the pan. 
