Baklava (Greek Honey and Nut Pastry)

• Chop the Nuts:
  • Finely chop walnuts and pistachios or pulse them in a food processor.
• Mix the Filling:
  • In a bowl, combine chopped nuts with sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.
  • Set aside.

• Preheat the Oven:
  • Set to 350°F (175°C).
• Butter the Baking Dish:
  • Brush a 9x13-inch baking dish with melted butter.
• Prepare the Phyllo:
  • Carefully unroll the phyllo dough, keeping a damp towel over it to prevent drying.

1. Layer the Phyllo Sheets:
   • Place one sheet of phyllo in the dish and brush lightly with melted butter.
   • Repeat for 8-10 layers.
2. Add the Nut Mixture:
   • Sprinkle ⅓ of the nut filling evenly over the layered phyllo.
3. Repeat Layers:
   • Add 6 more phyllo layers, buttering each.
   • Sprinkle another ⅓ of the nut mixture.
   • Add 6 more phyllo layers and spread the final ⅓ of the nuts.
4. Top with More Phyllo:
   • Layer the remaining 8-10 sheets, buttering each.
5. Cut Before Baking:
   • Using a sharp knife, cut the baklava into diamond or square pieces.
   • Be sure to cut all the way through.

Bake Until Golden:

• Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 40-50 minutes until golden and crispy.

• Simmer the Syrup:
  • In a saucepan, combine water, sugar, honey, lemon juice, cinnamon stick, and cloves.
  • Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes until slightly thickened.
• Cool Slightly:
  • Remove cinnamon and cloves.
  • Let the syrup cool slightly but not completely.

Immediately Pour Warm Syrup:

• Once the baklava is out of the oven, slowly pour the warm syrup over it.
• Let it soak for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

• Garnish with Pistachios:
  • Sprinkle with extra chopped pistachios.
• Serve with a Honey Drizzle:
  • Enjoy with Turkish coffee or Greek tea.

• For Crispiest Baklava: Pour warm syrup over hot baklava (never cold syrup).
• For Easy Cutting: Cut before baking, as phyllo gets too crispy afterward.
• For Best Flavor: Let it sit overnight to fully absorb the syrup.