Common throughout the Mediterranean region and Middle East, baklava is a world-famous dessert introduced to America by immigrants. This rich and crispy pastry is made with layers of phyllo dough, chopped nuts, and sweet syrup or honey. It may have originated in Turkey, although it also has Greek heritage. While its exact origin is unknown, it certainly predates the Ottoman Empire. In Greece, baklava is traditionally made with 33 layers of dough, signifying each year of Jesus Christ’s life.
Recipe Servings: 24
Prep Time
20 minutes
+ 4 hours resting
+ 4 hours resting
Cook Time
1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time
5 hours 30 minutes
Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Kosher
Halal
Ingredients
- ½ lb (227 g) pistachios, finely chopped
- ¼ cup (38 g) dry breadcrumbs
- 2⅓ cup (467 g) sugar, divided
- ½ tsp (1.3 g) ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp (0.5 g) ground cloves
- ½ lb (227 g) phyllo pastry sheets
- ¾ cup (168 g) butter, melted
- 1 cup (237 ml) water
- 1 lemon, juice only
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C) and grease a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33-cm) baking dish.
- Place pistachios, breadcrumbs, ⅓ cup (67 g) sugar, cinnamon, and cloves in a large bowl, mixing until well combined.
- Layer six sheets of phyllo dough into the prepared pan, brushing the top of each sheet with butter.
- Spread a thick layer of the nut mixture over the phyllo dough.
- Add four sheets of phyllo, brushing the top of each sheet with butter.
- Continue adding layers of the nut mixture and phyllo dough until all the ingredients are used, ending with six sheets of phyllo.
- Brush top sheet of phyllo with butter and trim or tuck in the edges of the dough.
- Cut diagonal lines through the top layers of the baklava to make diamond shapes and bake it for about 60 minutes until golden-brown.
- Bring remaining 2 cups (400 g) sugar, water, and lemon juice to a boil in a small saucepan, cooking and stirring for about 10 minutes until it thickens into a syrup.
- Remove baklava from the oven, pour hot syrup over it, and let it rest for at least 4 hours before cutting pieces all the way through and serving.
Notes
- Walnuts or almonds may be used in place of pistachios.
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