Title: Baklava
Categories: Cookies
Yield: 36 servings
2 1/2 c Sugar
1 1/2 c Water
1 tb Lemon juice
1 lb Pecans; chopped
1/4 c Sugar
1/2 ts Cinnamon
1/8 ts Nutmeg
1 lb Filo dough
1 c Butter; melted
Recipe by: Elizabeth Powell Preparation Time: 1:45
Prepare syrup first: bring to boil 2-1/2 cups sugar and water; add lemon
juice. Simmer until it is a pale yellow color. Syrup should be thick and
cold when poured over hot Baklava. Mix nuts, 1/4 cup sugar, and spices; set
aside.
Melt butter. Butter 9" x 13" cake pan thoroughly. Keep filo pastry
covered with a damp tea towel while working with individual sheets. Layer
sheets in baking pan, one at a time, brushing each layer with melted
butter. After layering six or so, begin alternating layers of filo pastry
with nuts.
Brush one layer with butter and sprinkle the next with 1/2 cup nut
mixture. Continue to alternate buttered layers and nut-covered layers until
all but ten of the sheets have been used. Layer the last ten sheets as you
did the bottom six, brushing each with butter.
Bake at 325 degrees for 1-1/2 hours. Remove from oven and let cool for
five minutes. Score pastry into diamond shapes about 1-1/2" X 2". Pour cold
syrup over hot pastry. Allow to cool to room temperature before removing
from pan.
