Baklava is probably the most famous Greek desert. You can find it all over the Balkans, Turkey and Middle East. While the Greek traditional recipe doesn’t call for pistachios, you will find variations of this desert which have pistachios spread on top or in the nuts mixture.

If you have tasted baklava before, you probably think it’s a hard desert to make. Actually, it’s very easy and the recipe doesn’t call for many ingredients either.

To make baklava you need:

• 2 cups / 400 g walnuts , chopped
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 150-200 g melted butter (unsalted)
• 18 fillo pastry sheets

For the syrup you need:

• 400 ml water
• 400 g sugar
• 4-5 tablespoons honey
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Select a baking tray which is the size of the fillo pastry (about 35 x 25 cm). Keep the fillo pastry from drying out. This can be done by putting a damp towel on top of the sheets while preparing the baklava.

First, in a bowl, mix the walnuts, sugar and cinnamon.

Then, start by taking a fillo sheet and put it in the baking tray, which was greased on the bottom and on the sides. Now, brush melted butter on the fillo sheet and add another. Do the same until you get to 5-7 sheets in the tray.

Now add 1/3 of the walnut mixture and cover it with another fillo sheet. Again, brush the melted butter and add 2-3 more sheets, brushing butter on top of them. Add another 1/3 of the mixture and continue with the fillo sheets. Add the last part of the mixture and place 7-8 fillo pastry sheets on top.

Now take a cup of water and sprinkle some , with your fingers , on top of the baklava. This will prevent the fillo pastry from curling during baking. Place the baking tray in the oven at 180C for 30-45 min.

While the baklava is baking , boil the syrup ingredients for about 5 min, except for the honey. Add the honey and simmer for another 5 min and then remove the cinnamon sticks.

When the baklava is ready, remove from the oven and poor the syrup while the baklava is still hot and in the baking tray. Cut the slices (in diamond shape). Leave it to cool in the syrup.

Here is a video showing the ingredients and how to make baklava at home:

Photo credit