Baklava

This syrupy dessert is an absolute epitome of oriental decadence. The recipe has been floating around the noble kitchens of the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean for centuries, but today’s popular form has been adapted from the ancient original in the Ottoman imperial kitchen at the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul. It is considered a national dish in Turkey, Greece, Egypt and Armenia, and each country proudly treasures its own favourite recipe. I’ve always liked the traditional Turkish baklava, until I’ve tried the Egyptian one and got permanently seduced by its aromatic sweetness. The key elements are exactly the same, but the Egyptian secret lies in two additional ingredients that suit my taste buds, cinnamon and orange blossom water.  Heavenly! 

Ingredients:

Yields about 20 square slices

400g walnuts, coarsely ground

100g unsalted pistachios, finely chopped

80g brown sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

20 sheets filo pastry

80g butter, melted

Syrup:

375ml (1 ½ cups) water

200g (1 ½ cups) caster sugar

2 cinnamon sticks

1 whole lemon, juice only

2 tbsp orange blossom water

Method:

1. Make the syrup first as it needs to cool completely before pouring into the slices. Combine water, sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon sticks in a pan, and cook over a low heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to a short boil, stir in the orange blossom water, remove cinnamon and set aside to cool.
2. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease 20cm x 30cm baking tray with oil. Combine the nuts, sugar and cinnamon.
3. Begin assembling the pastry stacks by layering 5 filo pastry sheets, brushing each with butter first, then placing into the baking tray. Top with one-third of the nut mixture. Repeat layers, finishing with filo, and lightly butter the top pastry sheet.
4. Dip a sharp cutting knife into hot water, and then cut baklava into square shapes. Do not cut all the way through, but only about half way – that will allow the top layers to nicely puff up during baking. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until golden brown.
5. Now cut the slices all the way through, and then pour half of the cold syrup along the cut lines and let cool slightly, allowing the bottom layers to soak up the liquid. Then pour in the rest of the syrup along the lines, and let baklava cool down completely before serving.