Baklava

Baklava is the crown jewel of Mediterranean pastry: layers of paper-thin phyllo, buttery and crisp, filled with spiced chopped nuts and soaked in a fragrant honey syrup. Popular across Greece, Turkey, and the wider Levant, it takes a bit of patience to layer but rewards you with a dessert that keeps beautifully for days.

Ingredients

• 1 pound phyllo dough, thawed
• 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 3 cups walnuts or pistachios, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 cinnamon stick (optional)

Instructions

1. Prep the filling
   Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Mix the chopped nuts with cinnamon.
2. Layer the phyllo
   Brush a baking dish with melted butter. Layer 8 sheets of phyllo, brushing each with butter. Sprinkle a thin layer of the nut mixture, then repeat layering and sprinkling until nuts are used, finishing with 6-8 buttered sheets on top.
3. Cut and bake
   Using a sharp knife, cut into diamond or square shapes before baking. Bake for 45-50 minutes until golden and crisp.
4. Make the syrup
   While baking, simmer sugar, water, honey, lemon juice, and cinnamon stick for 10 minutes. Let cool slightly.
5. Soak
   Pour the warm syrup evenly over the hot baklava as soon as it comes out of the oven. Let it soak for several hours or overnight before serving.