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| Azerbaijani Baklava |
Armenian Proverb
Baklava is enjoyed throughout much of the Mediterranean and Middle East today. Original versions of phyllo dough are said to have originated in China - and made their way westward with the Silk Road. As early as the 3rd century BCE, wealthy households all over Greece would prepare baklava for special holidays and events. The name "baklava" comes from the Armenian bakli halva, or “Lenten sweet”, because the Armenians prepared it with 40 sheets of pastry, one for each day of Lent. The Armenian version contained much less sugar than our modern versions. During Ottoman rule, copious amounts of sugar were added to the recipe and it was introduced to the entire empire. By the 15th century, the recipe spread through Persia, Rome, the Byzantine and Islamic Empires where it enjoyed a steady increase in popularity. Each culture added new layers of flavor to the layers of phyllo known as baklava. After perfecting distillation, the Muslim addition was rose water and cardamom. Today baklava refers to a phyllo based pastry that can be made in scores of shapes and filled with everything from chocolate to cream to dried fruits and nuts, and sometimes a mixture of many different ingredients. Here are my favorite versions.
Classic Greek BaklavaThis version is most popular in Greece, and is the one that I used to prepare with my mother and YiaYia for our town’s annual Greek festival.
Makes approximately 12 pieces
Ingredients
For the syrup:
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 large strips of lemon peel
Juice of 1 small lemon
2 tablespoons honey
For the baklava
1/2 (1/2 pound) box Phyllo dough, thawed according to package directions
1 cup clarified butter
1cup blanched almonds, finely ground
1 cup walnuts, finely ground
½ cup fresh, plain bread crumbs
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon ground clove
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Butter an 8-inch baking pan.
Make the syrup by combining sugar, 1 1/2 cups water, peel, and juice in a medium saucepan.
Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Discontinue stirring and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes, remove from heat, stir in honey, and set aside to cool.
To assemble the baklava, remove phyllo dough from package. Trim it with a sharp knife to fit the pan you are using, if necessary. Wrap excess dough in plastic wrap in the refrigerator. Cover bottom of baking pan with 1 sheet of phyllo dough. Brush clarified butter evenly over the top. Stack another sheet over the top. Brush with more clarified butter. Continue stacking and brushing with butter until 4 sheets of the phyllo dough is used.
Combine almonds, walnuts, sugar, cloves, cinnamon, and breadcrumbs in a medium bowl. Mix well to combine.
Sprinkle 1/3 nut mixture evenly across the top. Continue layering 4 more sheets phyllo dough and brushing with clarified butter. Sprinkle another 1/3 nut mixture over the top. Layer 4 more sheets phyllo dough, brushing each with butter, and sprinkle remaining nut mixture over the top.
Fold in overlapping flaps of phyllo and brush with butter. Place on more sheet on top and butter. With a long, sharp knife, cut phyllo into 6 strips vertical strips across the wide side of the pan (three-quarters of the way down).
Cut 4 equally spaced vertical lines over the strips (three quarters of the way down) to create 12 squares or diamonds. Bake for 30 minutes total, or until golden.
Remove from oven and drizzle with one ladleful of syrup at a time – allowing syrup to absorb in between ladlefuls. Once baklava has a glistening top and has absorbed syrup, discontinue adding more. Reserve additional syrup for a garnish if serving baklava at a later date. Syrup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Peanut, Coconut, and Raisin Baklava
Makes 30 servings
*Recipe from Nile Style: Egyptian Cuisine and Culture.
Southern Egypt, like the Southern United States, is famous for its peanuts. Markets in Aswan offer many freshly roasted varieties for sale. In Egypt, a teaspoon of the peanut, coconut, and raisin combination is often used to top sweet drinks and puddings as well. For best results, use unsalted peanuts and dried coconut to make this recipe.
Ingredients:
For the syrup:
Makes 30 servings
*Recipe from Nile Style: Egyptian Cuisine and Culture.
Southern Egypt, like the Southern United States, is famous for its peanuts. Markets in Aswan offer many freshly roasted varieties for sale. In Egypt, a teaspoon of the peanut, coconut, and raisin combination is often used to top sweet drinks and puddings as well. For best results, use unsalted peanuts and dried coconut to make this recipe.
Ingredients:
For the syrup:
1 Juice of small orange
1 large piece orange zest
1 1/2 cups sugar
For the filling:
1 cup roasted, unsalted peanuts, roughly chopped
1/4 cup golden raisins
¼ cup black raisins
½ cup dried coconut
For the baklava:
1 (1 pound) package phyllo dough, thawed according to package instructions.
1 cup clarified butter (ghee)*
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350F degrees.Butter a 9x13-inch or 12-inch round baking pan.
Make the syrup by combining sugar, 1 cup water, orange peel and juice in a medium saucepan Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Discontinue stirring and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes and set aside to cool. Remove and discard orange peel.
Make the filling by combining peanuts, golden raisins, raisins, and dried coconut together in a medium bowl. Stir well to combine.
To assemble the baklava, remove phyllo dough from package. Trim it with a sharp knife to fit the pan you are using. Wrap excess dough in plastic wrap in the refrigerator.
Cover bottom of baking pan with 1 sheet of phyllo dough. Brush clarified butter over the top. Stack another sheet over the top. Brush with more clarified butter.
Continue stacking and brushing with butter until half of the phyllo dough is used.
Spread filling evenly across the top. Continue layering remaining phyllo dough and brushing with clarified butter.Brush top layer with clarified butter.
With a long, sharp knife, cut phyllo into 6 strips horizontally(three-quarters of the way down).Cut 5 vertical lines across the strips (three quarters of the way down) to create 30 squares.
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes total,or until golden. Rotate pan half way through to ensure even browning. Remove pan from oven and pour syrup over the top. Allow to sit until syrup is absorbed and baklava has cooled to room temperature. Using a knife and a small metal spatula, carefully cut around the baklava squares and lift up from the bottom to serve.
Tip: You can tell when the syrup is ready by looking at the orange peel strips. When the strips appear to look like candied orange peel, the syrup is at the right consistency.
Almond Baklava/Ba’lawa bil lowz
Makes 30 servings
Orange and almond combine to lend a fragrant aroma and taste to this classic dessert. This recipe is from Arabian Delights: Recipes and Princely Entertaining Ideas from the Arabian Peninsula.
Ingredients:
For the syrup:
1 ½ cups sugar
2 large strips of orange peel
Juice of 1 small orange
For the filling:
1 ½ cups blanched almonds
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon orange blossom water
For the baklava:
1 (1 pound) package phyllo dough, thawed according to package instructions.
1 cup clarified butter*
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Butter a 9x13-inch or 12-inch round baking pan.
Make the syrup by combining sugar, 1 cup water, orange peel and juice in a medium saucepan Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Discontinue stirring and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes and set aside to cool. Remove and discard orange peel.
Make the filling by combining almonds, sugar, and orange blossom water together in a medium bowl. Stir well to combine.
To assemble the baklava, remove phyllo dough from package. Trim it with a sharp knife to fit the pan you are using. Wrap excess dough in plastic wrap in the refrigerator.
Cover bottom of baking pan with 1 sheet of phyllo dough. Brush clarified butter over the top. Stack another sheet over the top. Brush with more clarified butter.
Continue stacking and brushing with butter until half of the phyllo dough is used.
Spread filling evenly across the top. Continue layering remaining phyllo dough and brushing with clarified butter. Brush top layer with clarified butter.
With a long, sharp knife, cut phyllo into 6 strips horizontally(three-quarters of the way down).Cut 5 vertical lines across the strips (three quarters of the way down) to create 30 squares.
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes total, or until golden. Rotate pan half way through to ensure even browning. Remove pan from oven and pour syrup over the top. Allow to sit until syrup is absorbed and baklava has cooled to room temperature. Using a knife and a small metal spatula, carefully cut around the baklava squares and lift up from the bottom to serve.
Makes 30 servings
Orange and almond combine to lend a fragrant aroma and taste to this classic dessert. This recipe is from Arabian Delights: Recipes and Princely Entertaining Ideas from the Arabian Peninsula.
Ingredients:
For the syrup:
1 ½ cups sugar
2 large strips of orange peel
Juice of 1 small orange
For the filling:
1 ½ cups blanched almonds
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon orange blossom water
For the baklava:
1 (1 pound) package phyllo dough, thawed according to package instructions.
1 cup clarified butter*
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Butter a 9x13-inch or 12-inch round baking pan.
Make the syrup by combining sugar, 1 cup water, orange peel and juice in a medium saucepan Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Discontinue stirring and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes and set aside to cool. Remove and discard orange peel.
Make the filling by combining almonds, sugar, and orange blossom water together in a medium bowl. Stir well to combine.
To assemble the baklava, remove phyllo dough from package. Trim it with a sharp knife to fit the pan you are using. Wrap excess dough in plastic wrap in the refrigerator.
Cover bottom of baking pan with 1 sheet of phyllo dough. Brush clarified butter over the top. Stack another sheet over the top. Brush with more clarified butter.
Continue stacking and brushing with butter until half of the phyllo dough is used.
Spread filling evenly across the top. Continue layering remaining phyllo dough and brushing with clarified butter. Brush top layer with clarified butter.
With a long, sharp knife, cut phyllo into 6 strips horizontally(three-quarters of the way down).Cut 5 vertical lines across the strips (three quarters of the way down) to create 30 squares.
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes total, or until golden. Rotate pan half way through to ensure even browning. Remove pan from oven and pour syrup over the top. Allow to sit until syrup is absorbed and baklava has cooled to room temperature. Using a knife and a small metal spatula, carefully cut around the baklava squares and lift up from the bottom to serve.
Pistachio Baklava
Makes approximately 24 pieces
Ingredients
For the syrup:
3 cups granulated sugar
2 large strips of lemon peel
Juice of 1 small lemon
For the baklava
1 (1 pound) box Phyllo dough, thawed according to package directions
1 cup clarified butter
1 pound shelled unsalted pistachios, finely ground
¼ cup granulated sugar
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Butter a 13x9-inch baking pan.
Make the syrup by combining sugar, 3 cups water, peel, and juice in a medium saucepan.
Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Discontinue stirring and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes and set aside to cool.
To assemble the baklava, remove phyllo dough from package. Trim it with a sharp knife to fit the pan you are using, if necessary. Wrap excess dough in plastic wrap in the refrigerator. Cover bottom of baking pan with 1 sheet of phyllo dough. Brush clarified butter evenly over the top. Stack another sheet over the top. Brush with more clarified butter. Continue stacking and brushing with butter until half of the phyllo dough is used.
Combine pistachios with sugar in a medium bowl. Mix well to combine.
Sprinkle ground pistachio mixture evenly across the top, reserving a few tablespoons for garnish. Continue layering remaining phyllo dough and brushing with clarified butter. Brush top layer with clarified butter.
Position the pan as if it were a rectangle. With a long, sharp knife, cut phyllo into 6 strips vertical strips across the wide side of the pan(three-quarters of the way down).
Cut 4 equally spaced vertical lines over the strips (three quarters of the way down) to create 24 squares. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes total, or until golden. Rotate pan every 20 minutes to ensure even browning.
Remove from oven and drizzle with one ladleful of syrup at a time – allowing syrup to absorb in between ladlefuls. Once baklava has a glistening top and has absorbed syrup, discontinue adding more. Reserve additional syrup for a garnish if serving baklava at a later date. Syrup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Once cooled, sprinkle tops of baklava pieces with a few ground pistachios. Baklava can be covered and stored at room temperature for a day, or in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Always drizzle with additional syrup before serving.
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