Baklava Recipe (Baklava)

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter the bottoms and sides of a 9×13 inch baking dish.

In a large bowl, combine the finely chopped Antep pistachios. Set aside.

Unroll the phyllo dough and cut the whole stack in half to fit the dish. Cover with a damp cloth to keep the dough from drying out as you work. Place two sheets of dough in the dish and brush generously with melted butter. Repeat until you have 8 sheets layered.

Sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons of the pistachio mixture over the top layer. Top with two more sheets of dough, butter, nuts, layering as you go. The top layer should be about 6-8 sheets deep.

Using a sharp knife, cut the baklava into diamond or square shapes all the way to the bottom of the dish. You may cut into 4 long rows then make diagonal cuts. Bake for about 50 minutes until baklava is golden and crisp.

Make the syrup while baklava is baking. In a saucepan, combine the sugar and water and bring to a boil. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add the lemon juice and simmer for about 20 minutes.

Remove baklava from oven and immediately spoon the syrup over it. Let cool completely before serving. Leave it uncovered as it gets soggy if wrapped.