from Wayne Power of Peachland,BC
Baklava is a layered baked pastry dessert made of filo (phyllo) pastry,
filled with chopped nuts, and sweetened with sugar syrup or honey.
It has its origin in the Eastern Mediterranean countries.
Trays of Baklava are served at ceremonial processions
and at family gatherings.
Filo or phyllo pastry is wafer-thin sheets of dough
that is common in Greek, Middle Eastern and Balkan cooking.
When you use the thawed pastry, you join layers by brushing
each layer with butter/oil. This also helps it to become crispy.
Filo is often filled in some way, such as in the classic dishes
of baklava and börek. (Meat, spinach or vegetarian fillings).
Ingredients:
filo pastry-favourite brand thawed box
1 cup of salted butter melted
1/4 cup of vegetable oil
(of your choice sunflower, or canola)
1 cup fine chopped pistachios
1 cup fine chopped nuts (mixed)
(of your choice walnuts, pecans, pistachios, hazelnuts)
1 tablespoon rose water (citrus or ginger marmalade for variety)
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional nutmeg, allspice, clove)
1 cup of your favourite honey.
(Beary Berry Honey plain or flavoured)
Directions:
Make the syrup drizzle by mixing warmed honey,
rosewater, butter and oil thoroughly.
Shake in a jar for convenience like you would for a dressing.
Make your filling by blending chopped nuts and spices
of your choice thoroughly. Coarse or fine chopped.
Preparation:
Baklava is normally prepared in large baking pans.
Make many layers of buttered phyllo pastry.
Add some drizzle to each layer which contains
the filling of chopped nuts and spices.
Most recipes have multiple layers of filo and nuts, though
some have only top and bottom pastry,
all drenched with spicy honey drizzle.
Save some drizzle for a finish after baking.
Before baking, the layered dough is cut
into regular pieces on the baking sheet,
often parallelograms (lozenge-shaped),
triangles, diamonds or rectangles.
Optional — line baking sheet with buttered parchment paper.
Bake at 180 °C,(356 °F) for 30minutes
or until golden brown top.
After baking, add more syrup drizzle
over the cooked baklava and allowed to soak in.
Serve it at room temperature, and garnished
with half nut or sprinkled ground nuts.