Baklava

Baklava has been one of my favorite deserts for some time. Everyone remembers the first time they ever tried Baklava and I certainly do too. I use to salsa dance (yikes!) and whenever I would take a break I would go to the restaurant that was located in the front of the dance hall. It was a little vegetarian place that served baklava and Irish soda (yum and yum). I remember the crunchy, organic, sweetness of it all. And I dared to bake it!

The Main Attraction:
Baklava

I grabbed the recipe from here, and went to work! I used walnuts and pistachios (and had a moment of temporary insanity when I was going to use cashews, odd) to fill the layers. These two nuts work really well together.

The little bits of green are so pretty mixed in with the light brown! I had about 3-4 cups finely chopped. You can by the walnuts already chopped but they are a bit pricey. 

Layering the phyllo dough is not as scary as it seems when you take it out of the package and realize it's bible pages thin! I promise!. And if it rips, that's okay too! Melted butter is the glue of the food world and can repair the phyllo dough easily. 

Be sure to butter the bottom of the pan (I used a disposable one since I was taking it elsewhere). 

Also, butter between each layer. Yes, EVERY layer. This is what created that flay yum yum of joy.

After going the correct amount of layers (so don't zone out, even though it's hard not too) Sprinkle about a cup of nuts, then continue on your butter/layer journey, until finished.

While making the syrup, many recipes call for lemon zest. I simply halved a lemon (gave the other half to the Wifey, how she eats them straight, the world may never know) and threw it in the mixture. Just be sure to sift it through a strainer for any seeds if you do.

Afterwards I simply removed the lemon. The mixture should stand until it is cooled. But it won't get much thicker.

Then when the pastry and sauce combine: OM NOM NOM NOM!

I'll have just one. =]