Baklava
Crunchy and sweet with lots of spices. Small piece of indulgence!
Ingredients:
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1 package filo pastry, thawed per direction on box
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1 cup almonds, finely grounds
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1 cup walnuts, finely ground
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1 cup unsalted pistachio, coarsely ground
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1 ½ cup sugar
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1 tablespoon cardamom powder (elchi)
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1 teaspoon nutmeg powder (jaifer)
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½ teaspoon saffron, crushed slightly
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1 cup ghee, melted
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96 piece of whole cloves (lavang)
For the Syrup:
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1 cup sugar
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½ cup water
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1 tablespoon lemon juice
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3/4 cup honey
Also need a 18X13inch baking tray, pastry brush and good pizza cutter or knife to cut the baklava.
Before you Assemble: Remove the pastry from the packaging and cover with a damp cloth. Roughly count how many sheets are in the box. They vary upon the brand you use but most brands have average 20-22 sheets in a box. Take a bowl, mix the ground almonds, walnuts, pistachios, sugar, cardamom, nutmeg and saffron. Set aside.
Brush the baking pan generously with the ghee. Pull out one sheet of pastry and line it in the pan. Brush the pastry with ghee. Repeat the process for four more sheets. Now take 1/3 of the nut mixture and spread it evenly over the filo pastry. Repeat the process by using five more sheets. Now take another third of the nut mixture and spread it evenly over the filo pastry. Repeat the process with the last third of the filling. Use the remaining sheets to complete the final layer. Make sure you brush each sheet with ghee as you go along. Now make a generous brush of ghee on the top layer. Cut the pastry in 1 ½ inch squares with the help of a long ruler. Place a clove in the center of each piece so the pastry stays in place. The cloves help keep the structure and also add flavor.
Bake in 350 degree over for 25 mins or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let it cool down till the pan is warm to the touch.
While the baklava is cooling down, make the syrup. Stir the sugar and water in a saucepan and let it roll boil for 3 minutes. Add the lemon juice and remove from heat. Stir in the honey. Now pour the syrup gently over the baklava. Cover it with foil and let the syrup soak for a few hours. Remove pieces and store in a container lined with wax or parchment paper between each layer in the tin.
NOTE: You need to cut the baklava before you bake them otherwise it is very brittle and difficult to cut after baking. When eating, pull out the clove before you bite in!
[Makes 96 pieces – 1 ½ inch squares]
