Baklava

B aklava is a Middle-Eastern sweet pastry which is made only with thin dough pastry and loaded with nuts and then soaked with honey or syrup.  It is widely believed that  Baklava  is of Assyrian origin, dated back to around the 8th Century B.C.  They, the Assyrians baked this sumptuous treat only on special occasions and at that time only the rich could afford this luxury. But not anymore.  Nowadays, this sweet dessert is readily available and is found in the Middle-Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines, Greece, Iran, Turkey and Lebanon.  However, each culture has its own distinct way of preparing this decadent dessert.

This dessert is made with Phyllo/Fillo pastry dough which is derived from the Greek word 'leaf' being 'as thin as a leaf' and it is this paper thin, delicate dough that gives Baklava a delicious crispy taste.  This pastry is not as fattening as perceived as I used canola oil instead of butter and had cut down on the sugar in the syrup.  In fact it's nutritious considering the wholesome goodness of the nuts, i.e. almonds and walnuts.

Recipe for Baklava

Ingredients

• Pampas Fillo pastry
• 100gm nibbed almonds
• 50 gm walnuts, chopped
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• 1/4  tsp cinnamon powder
• Melted butter/Canola oil  ( I used Canola oil)
• Sesame seeds, lightly toasted  (optional)

Syrup

• 1/4  cup sugar, 1/4  cup water, 2  Tbsp lemon juice, some fresh lemon peel

Method

1. Prepare the syrup by mixing the sugar with water and lemon peel and cook under low flame.  After the sugar has dissolved, discard the lemon peel.  Stir in the lemon juice.  Set aside to cool.
2. Mix the nuts with sugar and cinnamon, set aside.
3. Brush a 8.1/2 x 4.1/2 x 3" dish with oil.  Score the fillo pastry to the size of the dish, allowing 1/4 inch at both sides.
4. Place a sheet of  fillo pastry at the bottom of the oiled dish,  brush with a thin layer of oil, top with another layer of pastry, brush with oil.  Continue this process till there are 6 sheets of pastry.
5. Sprinkle on a layer of nuts.  Dot some oil on the layer of nuts so that the next sheet of pastry will stick on it.
6. Place another sheet of pastry on top of the nuts, brush with oil.  Repeat this process, meaning 2 sheets of pastry brushed with oil.  (You can choose to use 3 layers, if desired).
7. Repeat step (5)  and (6) till the nut mixture is all used up.
8. The top layer should be 6 layers thick as the bottom, each sheet of pastry being brushed with oil.
9. Brush lightly with oil on the surface of the pastry.
10. Using a serrated knife, cut lengthwise right through the bottom and then into squares.
11. Place on the rack below the middle shelf and bake in a preheated oven @ 180 deg C for 25 mins.
12. Remove the baklava from the oven, spoon the syrup over the hot baklava.  Sprinkle on some sesame seeds.  Let cool for at least 4 hours.
13. Serve.

Note :  To prevent the fillo pastry from drying up and  becoming brittle, cover the pastries with a dampcloth while waiting to be used.  Keep any balance in the freezer.