Middle
East Baklava
Baklava
is a favorite in Greece as well as Yugoslavia, Turkey and Albania. Phyllo pastry
creates crispy layers and is found throughout the Middle East. Keep dough
covered with plastic wrap, then a slightly damp cloth to prevent sheets drying
out on the edges. Frozen pastry should be thawed in the refrigerator overnight,
then placed on the counter 2 hours before using. If you are allergic to walnuts,
use whole-wheat crackers.
Honey Syrup
¾ cup clover honey
½ cup water
½ cup granulated
sugar
1 tablespoon fresh
lemon juice
Walnut Filling
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
⅓ cup dark brown
sugar
½ teaspoon ground
cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon
ground allspice
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 (16-ounce) package phyllo dough, thawed in
refrigerator
1 ¼ cups butter,
melted
1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
2. Syrup:
In a 2-quart saucepan, heat honey, water, sugar and
lemon juice;
simmer for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
2. Filling:
In a medium bowl, mix walnuts, brown sugar,
cinnamon,
allspice and orange zest.
3. Assembling:
Unroll phyllo dough and cut in half to form
two
approximately 8 ½ x 13 ½-inch rectangles. Cover
with waxed paper
and then a damp paper towel.
4. Layer 20 sheets of pastry in a
13 x 9 x 2-inch buttered glass
baking dish,
brushing butter between each sheet. Top with
filling. Layer the
next 20 sheets of pastry, brushing butter
between sheets.
The pastry will shrink slightly once baked.
5. Cut the top layers of the sheets
and filling diagonally from
one corner to
the other so that you have a large X. Be careful
not to cut
through the bottom layer of pastry. Continue to cut
2 more rows on
both sides, both ways until you have diamond
shaped pieces. Try
to match up edges as you cut so you will
also have
triangle pieces on the edges. Place in preheated
oven and bake 30
minutes.
6. If needed, increase heat to 475°
for 5 to 15 minutes to brown.
Remove from
oven; pour syrup over pastry and let sit 10
minutes. Finish
cutting diamonds all the way through.
Makes 24 pieces of baklava