Baklava

By Hklbrries

Note: Phyllo dough is available in most Greek markets or frozen in all supermarkets. If you buy frozen phyllo, be sure to thaw the unopened package overnight in the refrigerator before unfolding the sheets.

"Trays of sticky, nutty baklava lure customers into Nina’s Bakery, in Fresno, Calif. On a large wooden table in an adjoining room, two bakers deftly spread out layers of phyllo dough and brush them with clarified butter.

The owner, Nina Tashchian, says she learned how to make baklava from her mother-in-law, who was a housekeeper and a cook in Yerevan, Armenia. At 33, Tashchian left Yerevan and moved to America. Ten years later, in 2001, she started her own bakery.

Tashchian recalls special occasions in Yerevan, when neighbors and family gathered in homes to make phyllo dough from scratch and assemble the distinctive dish. Now she buys ready-made phyllo dough from a baking company. “You have to be smart,” she says with a smile.

Baklava’s origins are Middle Eastern, but more than one country claims it as its own. “The Greek people say it’s our baklava, the Arabs say it’s ours, the Turkish say we made it!” Tashchian says. And where does she believe it originated? “Armenia, of course!” she says, pointing proudly to a picture of people making baklava in her home country."

—Alice Daniel, a food writer in Fresno, Calif

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 1 3/4 cups sugar (plus additional 2 tablespoons, divided)
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon rose water (optional)
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped walnuts
• 1 pound phyllo dough (about 40 9 x 14-inch sheets) 3/4 cup clarified butter

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly coat a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.

Dissolve 1 3/4 cups sugar in the water in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Add lemon juice and bring to boil again. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Add rose water if using.

Combine walnuts and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar.

Open phyllo dough and spread it out. Place 2 sheets of dough on baking sheet. Cover remaining phyllo with a damp cloth to keep from drying. Liberally brush the top of the two sheets with butter. Place 2 more sheets on top; brush with butter. Repeat until half the dough is used. Spread walnut mixture over dough.

Place 2 sheets of dough over walnut mixture. Brush top with butter. Repeat until remaining dough sheets are used. Be sure to brush the top layer with butter. Cut baklava into 4 strips (2 1/4-inches wide-by-14-inches long), dipping the knife into water between cuts. Cut each strip into 4 rectangles (2 1/4-inches wide-by-3 1/2-inches long). Cut each rectangle into halves diagonally.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Cool 10 minutes. Drizzle sugar syrup over baklava and serve.

Nutrition Information:
Per piece
140 calories
9 g fat
10 g cholesterol
2 g protein
17 g carbohydrates
1 g fiber
70 mg sodium