This is the perfect recipe to make if you have leftover filo pastry and you have a very sweet tooth! You can use any nuts really, quintessential baklava would probably have pistachios but mixed nuts will work as much as cashews, pecans or walnuts.
Recipe
Ingredients
120g | 3/4 cup nuts - mixed nuts, pistachios, cashews, pecans or walnuts (finely chopped)
60g | 1/2 cup butter (melted), plus more for brushing phyllo
1/2 pack of leftover filo pastry (4 large sheets)
1/3 cup sugar
60g | 1/3 cup honey (set or runny, it doesn't matter since it will be melted over heat)
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp of orange blossom if you have it
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 170C Fan.
2. Chop the nuts in a food processor until finely chopped but not powdered.
3. Melt the butter on a gentle heat, pour half of it in with the nuts and stir to combine.
4. Now it's time to layer in an ovenproof dish. With the remaining butter and a pastry brush, spread some butter over 2 filo sheets and place them in the dish. Add half of the chopped nuts and spread them evenly over the pastry. Cover with another two layers of buttered filo pastry and cover the remaining nuts. Finish off with the last 4 layers of buttered filo. If you have any remaining butter, spread it over any bits of pastry that look like they need more butter.
5. Using a sharp knife, cut the pastry into diamond shapes by making diagonal cuts from one side of the pan to the other.
6. Place in the oven to bake for 30 minutes. Check them halfway to ensure they are not turning too golden.
7. Towards the end of the baking time, start making the syrup which you will pour over the cooked pastry. Combine sugar, honey, cinnamon, lemon juice (+ orange blossom optional) in a pan and bring to the boil until sugar has dissolved and the honey has melted down. Then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 mins.
8. When the baklava has finished cooking and is out of the oven, drizzle the syrup over the pastry using a spoon to evenly coat the baklava.
9. Serve once cooled with a cup of spiced tea.
Keep out of the fridge, in a sealed container for up to 4 days.
Sweet, spiced Baklava originating from Turkey is a delicious tea time snack or post dinner dessert to get your sweet fix. I hope you enjoy this recipe and it transports you somewhere exotic for a minute.
