Baklava

This Baklava recipe is likely the simplest one I've ever seen and perhaps the tastiest. There are many approaches to Baklava. Some use only pistachios. Some use Walnuts. Some mix the nuts together. This one, a Greek version, uses almonds and walnuts. It also uses CLARIFIED butter (instructions below) or you could use Ghee if you're nervous about making your own clarified butter. 

The key to any good Baklava is to be willing to work quickly with your Philo dough and work deftly with spreading the butter. I've made this as detailed as possible. I hope you enjoy it.

For the Clarified Butter:

• 3 sticks of unsalted butter.

1. Cut your sticks into tablespoons and place in a medium-sized saucier on medium-low heat. Do NOT leave its side!
2. Melt it down and remove it from the heat, allowing it to cool slightly.
3. With a spoon, lift off the top layer then lift off the middle layer, the clear layer (light yellow) suck it up with a baster, making sure to leave the milky bottom layer alone. Set aside, covered.

To use the Philo:

Defrost in the fridge. If you don't unwrap it, the dough can stay in the fridge until you're ready to use it. Fold out the Philo onto a sheet of opened-up plastic wrap. Cover with another plastic sheet and then with a DAMP tee towel (not soaking!)

The Nut Filling:

• 8 oz blanched almonds (or you can use pistachios, unsalted)
• 4 oz walnuts
• Set 1 tbsp of the nuts aside
• Pulse in your processor until chopped finely but not powdery or creamy (watch this carefully!)
• In a bowl, mix with:
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/8 tsp fine salt
• The Sugar Syrup Mixture:
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 tbsp fresh squeezed orange juice
• 3 wide strips of orange zest (careful! Don't cut include any white!)
• 1 cinnamon stick

1. Boil until the liquid thickens
2. Remove from the heat and pour into a measuring cup to cool

ASSEMBLY

1. Begin by buttering the bottom of the pan so it will grab the first sheet of Phillo.
2. Dip your basting brush (use a bristle brush for this) into the butter again and lightly brush the first sheet (deftly) so as not to break it up.
3. Lay down the next sheet and brush gingerly with the butter and repeat until you have laid down 8 sheets and topped each with butter.
4. Now top the 8 sheets with 1 cup of the nuts mixture and lightly spread to cover.
5. Top with another layer of Philo and hold in place on top of the nuts with your fingers as you brush butter across it, repeating until you have 6 total layers of Philo and butter.
6. Top with another cup of nuts and another 6 layers of Philo and butter.
7. You'll be putting down another cup of nuts followed by the last of the Philo but instead of 6 you will do 8 sheets of Philo with butter in between.
8. Before buttering the top, you will press down the Baklava layers by hand, holding it down to compact it.
9. Next you'll top it with 4 tbsp of the melted butter on top.
10. Place it in the fridge for around 1/2 hour or until the butter on top is solid again
11. Remove and cut into diamonds going from corner to corner to start.
12. Bake at 300 F for 1 1/2 hours, rotating halfway through (45 minutes)
13. Remove AND WHILE STILL HOT pour the sugar/honey mixture in the rivets between the pieces- you should hear a sizzle!
14. Drizzle the top of each diamond with a little of the honey mixture and scatter some of the nuts on top to garnish or chopped walnuts if you prefer.
16. Cover with foil and allow it to sit for at least 8 hours, even more. 
17. The longer it sets the better it gets!

TIP: when you're done layering, and cover it with plastic wrap, set another similar size pan on top and fill with heavy objects like pie beans, marbles or even bricks to weight the baklava down and smoosh it together.

TIP: before cooking, place a sheet of plastic wrap at the top layer and place a similar sized baking pan or something else, on top and place some heavy objects on it to weigh it down and cause the layers to stick together.