Baklava

Baklava

Falafel is a favorite food in my house. Once a week, we go to Pita House in our area and enjoy it very much. Their dessert, as everyone knows, is Baklava.  

Ever since I began blogging my recipes, one entry I wanted to write about was Baklava. It is a flaky Mediterranean, Greek pastry made from phyllo dough which is amazingly good.  It is easy to make, looks good and tastes very good on top of it.  I was able to make a batch this week so I am sharing this recipe with my readers.  It will make you feel like a true chef!

This recipe is courtesy of my good friend Avani Patel.

Cooking Difficulty Level: Medium

Recipe Type: Vegan

Preparation Time: 40 Minutes

Cooking Time: 35 Minutes

Ingredients:  

Frozen phyllo sheets can be thawed in the refrigerator overnight in their package.  Phyllo sheets are very delicate and tend to dry quickly, so do not open the package until all other ingredients are assembled and ready to use.  Keep the phyllo sheets covered at all times so they do not dry out.  When you’re ready, remove them from their package and try your best to fit them into a baking sheet.  Phyllo sheets can be cut easily to fit into a pan. Follow the directions on the box to make it easy, otherwise use a 9″x 14″ pan.  I prefer shallow cookie sheet over a deep cake pan.  

1. Mix all nuts, cinnamon and sugar together for filling and set aside.

2. As shown in the picture, lay phyllo dough on baking sheet and use a brush to cover each layer evenly with melted butter so the pastry does not dry out. 

3. Layer four to five pasty sheets on top of one another.

4. Now layer very lightly and evenly the mixture of the nuts, cinnamon and sugar on the top of the four to five pastry sheets. Then again, start layering 4-5 sheets on top of the nut mixture, covering each sheet very well with butter.  Then again, add another layer of nut mixture.

Cover with Nuts.

5. Continue by adding the next layers of phyllo sheets on top of the nut mixture, each sheet brushed with butter. 

6. Use all of the sheets and layer after layer cover with butter.

7. Once all sheets are used, cut diagonally and then straight lengthwise to make diamond shapes.

8. The next step is to bake it in the oven for 30-35 minutes at 300º until golden brown, crispy and flaky. 

9. Once out of the oven, add honey in the slit areas, covering all over. Cover with honey generously if you like it very sweet or according to your taste. I cover lightly so that it is flaky instead of sticky.

Baklava stays good for two weeks without refrigeration.

Tips: