Baklava
Why I Love This Recipe
The original recipe came from my mother; Then I gave it back to her 10 years later after I made my version for her Birthday a couple of years ago. I suggest getting the largest pastry brush you can find, you can layer this alot quicker if you can apply the butter in a couple of strokes. The faster you go, the less time you have for the dough to dry out. You will need a professional 1/2 sheet pan for this recipe.
Ingredients You'll Need
2 lbs Phyllo (22) (This is 2 packages)
1 lb Unsalted Butter
3 Cups Walnuts
2 Cups Almonds
1 Cup Pistachios
4 TB Granulated Sugar
4 Tsp Cinnamon
2 Tsp Mace
1 tsp Ground Cardamom
1/2 tsp Coriander
1/4 tsp Ground Cloves
2 tsp Fresh Orange Zest
1 batch of Lemon Honey Sauce
Directions
Grind all nuts and place in a medium sized bowl, add sugar, spices and zest and mix well.
Set aside.
Melt Butter in a sauce pan or in a measuring cup in the microwave.
Set aside
Unwrap your phyllo and unroll onto work surface.
Cover with Plastice wrap and a damp towel to keep the dough from drying.
Brush Pan with a little butter and lay down the first sheet, brush with butter and lay down the second sheet.... Continue this until you have layed down 10 sheets.
Spread 1/2 of the nut mixture over the 10th sheet and sprinkle a little butter over.
Brush your next sheet and lay it over (Butter side down) this will adhere it to the nut mixture a little better.
Brush the side facing up and lay down your next sheet, continue brushing with butter and laying down more sheets until you lay down another 10.
Repeat as above with the nut mixture, sprinkled with a little butter, and butter your next phyllo sheet, lay it down and brush the up facing side too.
Continue laying sheets with butter until you run out of phyllo sheets.
Using a VERY sharp knife, pre-cut your baklava about 1/2 way through either in squares or in diamond shapes.
Bake at 350 for 50 - 55 minutes.
