Baklava…. chased by cinnamon

Traditional Greek sweet, made mainly with walnuts but I like to add pistachios (the Turkish way if just I could get hold of the fabulous Gaziantep pistachios), sesame seeds and almonds playing around with a sweet honey and cinnamon syrup.

Recipe

220g pack filo pastry (12 sheets)

4 tbsp chopped almonds

4 tbsp chopped walnuts

2 tbsp chopped pistachios

2 tbsp sesame seeds

4 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

200g melted butter to brush the filo pastry

Syrup:

250ml water

175g sugar

4 tbsp honey (best the greek one)

3 cloves

1 cinnamon stick

1 lemon

 

Melt the butter and let it aside.

Making the syrup:

Bring to boil the water and the sugar and let simmer 5 minutes. Add the honey, cloves, cinnamon stick and continue to simmer 5/10 minutes, add the lemon juice bring to boil than remove from heat and let it cool down.

Filling:

I use to crush the nuts in a mortar, it is a good work out and I feel closer to nature, but that just me…

 

Mix the crushed nuts with the sugar and cinnamon and mix

 

Now you are ready for ART

This is my version of painting in the kitchen, brushing butter on the filo pastry, I love it

 

Brush 3 layers of filo pastry with butter and add the mixture of nuts, sugar and cinnamon. Cover and brush 2 layers of filo, add the mix and cover again continuing this way for 3 layers, cover with the last 3 sheets of filo and make the characteristic diamond shape incision in the top layer

 

 

 

Now is ready for the oven 180^oC 30/40 min or until golden brown, wow now the perfume of cinnamon has pervaded every inch of your house and soul...

Remove from the oven and pour the syrup over it (remember to remove the cloves and the cinnamon stick)

 

 

IMPORTANT TIP: Either the pastry should be warm and the syrup cool (like I do), or else the pastry should have cooled and the syrup be warm so that the Baklava do not become too soft.

Enjoy