Baklava

In the Middle East, no social gathering or religious ceremony is complete without trays of sweet food based on fruits, nuts and vegetables. Perhaps the most loved and royal of celebration pastries are the Baklava family, which appear in one form or other in the cuisine of ancient Persia, Turkey, Greece and the Middle East. In a 1330 Chinese cookbook, a version of Baklava went under the name of "Gullac".

Baklava

Ingredients:

  • 1 packet of Filo pastry

  • Spray can olive oil, or lightly flavoured olive oil

  • 2 cups pistachio nuts, coarsely ground and 1 cup pistachios, finely crushed

Syrup

  • 2 cups sugar

  • 1 1/2 cups water

  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

  • 2 tablespoons rosewater

Prepare Syrup: Bring water, and sugar in a saucepan and bring to boil, stirring till sugar dissolves, add lemon juice, simmer till sugar forms a light, sticky coat on the back of a spoon. Turn off the heat, cool liquid to warm, add rosewater, cover and put it aside.

Assemble Baklava

  1. Oil a 17 cm x 26 cm baking tin x 4 cm deep baking tin;

  2. Layer two sheets of filo on the base of a baking dish, spray with oil. ( I find it easier to fold the sheet of filo in half to make a double sheet). Add another two sheets of pastry, spray again. Continue until you have six layers of filo one on top of the other. It is important not to press the pastry as air is needed between sheets to allow even baking and crunch;

  3. Spread 1 cup of coarsely ground pistachios evenly, add another 6 layers of pastry spraying between every second sheet, spread remaining pistachios evenly, top with the remaining filo, oiling between every second sheet. Tuck in any ragged edges, oil the last layer with oil; using a sharp, pointed knife cut the baklava into small rectangles. You don't have to cut to the base.

  4. Bake in a moderate to low temperature oven until the top is golden brown. Remove from oven. Cool for 10 minutes, pour the syrup between the cuts. Sprinkle the crushed pistachios on top;

  5. Set aside. Wait till Baklava is cold before indulging.

Baklava Variations:

  1. Replace pistachios with pecans or hazelnuts, these should be dry-roasted (pan or oven) before assembling;

  2. Walnuts are often used in place of pistachios, but they must be oven-baked before placing between the filo layers or they will leave a bitter tang in your mouth after eating;

  3. Whatever the filling add some cinnamon or cardamom;

  4. Replace pistachios with mixed fruit previously marinated in your favourite liqueur and carob pieces/tiny drops;

  5. Replace pistachios with well-drained Morello cherries;

  6. Syrup can have honey substituted for sugar.

  7. Add a large sprig of fresh thyme when making syrup.



"The soul is the same in all living creatures. Only the body is different"- Hippocrates of Cos (ca. 460 BC – ca. 370 BC), a Greek physician of the Age of Pericles, who is considered one of the most outstanding figures in the history of medicine.