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Turkish baklava

Pistachio Baklava

  • Author: Sylvie Taylor
  • Prep Time: 1 hour
  • Cook Time: 55 minutes
  • Total Time: + soak time 5 hours 55 minutes
  • Yield: 24 baklavaa
  • Category: Dessert
  • Cuisine: Turkish

Description

Pistachio Baklava is one of those sweets often on the counter of Middle Eastern eateries, but making this at home, whilst taking some time, is well worth it. This recipe doesn't require any special ingredients either which is a bonus.


Ingredients

Sugar syrup
250 milliliters / 1 cup water
250 grams / 1 1/4 cups superfine/caster sugar
14 grams / 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Baklava
350 grams / 12 ounces phyllo pastry
250 grams / 8 ounces butter, melted
150 grams / 1 1/2 cups pistachios, roughly chopped/ground
90 grams / 6 tablespoons heavy cream


Instructions

Sugar syrup

  1. Place the water and sugar in a pot on high heat and boil for 5 minutes, lower the temperature to medium and continue simmering for a further 15 minutes.
  2. Pour into a bowl at room temperature and set aside.

Baklava

  1. Preheat the oven to 190ºC/375.
  2. Set half the phyllo sheets aside as these will be the top layer, and if necessary, cut the pastry to shape for the baking dish.
  3. Brush the baking dish with a little melted butter then lay two phyllo sheets down and brush with melted butter.
  4. Lay another two sheets and repeat layering and brushing melted butter until all the bottom sheets have been laid out and pressed into the baking dish.
  5. Brush with the cream and than add the pistachios, spreading out evenly.
  6. Next lay two sheets of phyllo down and brush with melted butter in the same fashion as your base layers, brushing the last of the butter on the top of the pastry. Cut squares into the pastry to the point where your knife hits the pistachios (this step will ensure the top layer of pastry rises).
  7. Place in the oven and bake for 25 minutes, turn down the oven to 160ºC/325F and bake for a further 30 minutes.
  8. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes and then proceed to carefully cut through the bottom of the pastry, this will take effort.
  9. Once you have cut all the baklava, take the slightly warm syrup and drizzle over the cut gaps in the baklava. Allow to sit for 4 hours to soak and cool.
  10. Serve one or two with a little some chopped pistachios on top.

Notes

  • Phyllo pastry: Those thin sheets of phyllo or filo pastry are store-bought as this is much easier. If you cannot source this pastry, you could substitute with puff pastry, however, this has fat already in it (phyllo does not) so it would be recommended to not layer, due to the laminating that has already been completed in the process of making puff. It could also result in a very different outcome of your Baklava.
  • Pistachios: Unsweetened whole pistachios were used here as we add syrup. Because we need our pistachios to be fine in our filling, you could substitute whole with finely chopped ones to speed up your preparation time.
  • Slicing the top layers of your pastry: Cutting the pastry before baking allows two things; firstly, the top pastry layers will rise as is traditional for baklava for that flaky topping. Secondly, and more importantly, not letting your knife go into the bottom layers before baking ensures they don't rise and results in them soaking up all the syrup for that other traditional and classic feature of baklava.
  • Storing baklava: Baklava should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. This will help maintain its freshness and prevent it from becoming too moist or dry.
  • Can be made ahead: Simply store it in an airtight container at room temperature.
  • Can be frozen: Once baked, allow it to cool completely, then wrap it tightly and place it in a freezer-safe container. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Adapted from Turkish Cookbook


Nutrition

  • Calories: 190 calories per piece

Keywords: pastry, dessert