Baklava
I learned how to make Baklava today from my neighbor, she's from Alexandria, Egypt. I learned there are many ways to make baklava depending upon where you are from, below is how they make it in Alexandria. Some recipes need illustration, below is a step-by-step photo version of my lesson today.
Ingredients:
3 cups mixed nuts
1 box phyllo dough, sheets
1 stick butter, unsalted
1 tsp cinnamon
Syrup:
3 cups sugar
3 cups water
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp rose water (check international stores and look in the middle eastern section)
Preheat oven to 4oo degrees
Melt butter in a 10 inch pan over low heat. Once melted take off of heat and set aside. While the butter melts place nuts and 2 tbsp sugar into food processor and process until nuts are chopped really well...some are fine some chunky. Place nuts in a bowl and stir in 1 tsbp cinnamon.
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"nut mixture"
Place sugar, water and lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook on medium heat. Bring to a slow boil and cook uncoverd for about 30 minutes. You are making a simple syrup. Add the rose water after you have boiled the syrup for 30 minutes. **Should be sticky, but thick**.
While the sugar water boils take phyllo dough out of the box, lay it flat, and cover with a dish towel so that it stays moist. Keep the phyllo covered with the towl while you are working.
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"butter the top half of the phyllo"
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"fold the bottom half onto the buttered top half and then butter the edges "
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"spoon 2-3 tbsp of the nut mixture onto the bottom"
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"roll the phyllo like a cigar"
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"butter the top of the rolled phyllo"
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"trim the edges and discard, then cut into small diaganol segments"
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"place on a cookie sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown, allow to cool "
Remove the simple syrup from the heat and dip the cooled phyllo rolls into the syrup. Stir them until completely covered and then remove with a slotted spoon. Let the excess syrup drip from the phyllo before putting them onto the plate. Note: The syrup will have cooled for the second batch of phyllo rolls so do not cool the second batch of phyllo rolls, dip them in the syrup right from the oven.
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"Put 3-4 phyllo rolls into the simple syrup and stir to cover with syrup"
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Source: Amal M.
Ingredients:
3 cups mixed nuts
1 box phyllo dough, sheets
1 stick butter, unsalted
1 tsp cinnamon
Syrup:
3 cups sugar
3 cups water
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp rose water (check international stores and look in the middle eastern section)
Preheat oven to 4oo degrees
Melt butter in a 10 inch pan over low heat. Once melted take off of heat and set aside. While the butter melts place nuts and 2 tbsp sugar into food processor and process until nuts are chopped really well...some are fine some chunky. Place nuts in a bowl and stir in 1 tsbp cinnamon.
"nut mixture"
Place sugar, water and lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook on medium heat. Bring to a slow boil and cook uncoverd for about 30 minutes. You are making a simple syrup. Add the rose water after you have boiled the syrup for 30 minutes. **Should be sticky, but thick**.
While the sugar water boils take phyllo dough out of the box, lay it flat, and cover with a dish towel so that it stays moist. Keep the phyllo covered with the towl while you are working.
"butter the top half of the phyllo"
"fold the bottom half onto the buttered top half and then butter the edges "
"spoon 2-3 tbsp of the nut mixture onto the bottom"
"roll the phyllo like a cigar"
"butter the top of the rolled phyllo"
"trim the edges and discard, then cut into small diaganol segments"
"place on a cookie sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown, allow to cool "
Remove the simple syrup from the heat and dip the cooled phyllo rolls into the syrup. Stir them until completely covered and then remove with a slotted spoon. Let the excess syrup drip from the phyllo before putting them onto the plate. Note: The syrup will have cooled for the second batch of phyllo rolls so do not cool the second batch of phyllo rolls, dip them in the syrup right from the oven.
"Put 3-4 phyllo rolls into the simple syrup and stir to cover with syrup"
Allow to sit on a plate for 30 minutes and then
put into an airtight container for storage. Do not refrigerate.
Source: Amal M.
the best bakalava I've ever had!!!
ReplyDeleteWe make baklava all the time and a thing I learned from Kerry G's Mom is to put 2 oranges or lemons and their juice (squeeze juice and throw the whole thing in rinds and all) into the simple syrup it adds a little bit of depth to the syrup. Also, I used way to much cinnamon and got lots of compliments...
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