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Baklava
From Dorothy McNett's recipes at www.dorothymcnett.com. Use a baking pan about 9 by 13 inches. You can make the baklava a few hours in advance and have it at room temperature. Serve with either hot or room temperature syrup.
For the Syrup:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
peel of the lemon
2 tablespoons honey
1 stick cinnamon
14 or more sheets phyllo dough
1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups finely chopped walnuts
1 cup finely chopped almonds
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
about 20 whole cloves
First make the syrup. Using a heavy bottomed saucepan combine sugar, water, lemon juice, lemon peel, honey and cinnamon. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook about 5 minutes uncovered. Allow to cool while you make the baklava, and then remove the cinnamon stick and lemon peel before using the syrup. If you are serving the baklava at room temperature, you can reheat the syrup so that is nice and hot to pour over.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt the butter 30 seconds in microwave. Set aside. Combine finely chopped nuts, sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Brush the bottom and sides of the baking dish or pan with some of the melted butter. Place one sheet of the phyllo in the pan, pressing it to fit the sides and bottom. Brush with butter. Repeat with 3 - 4 more sheets, brushing each with butter. Spread 1/3 of the nut mixture over the phyllo. Repeat with 3 sheets of phyllo and then 1/3 more of the nut mixture. Repeat once again with 3 sheets of phyllo and the last 1/3 of the nut mixture. Fold any overlapping edges of the phyllo over the mixture. Now top with 4 - 5 sheets of phyllo, buttering each as you go. Tuck any of the edges under top. Butter the top. With a sharp knife cut through all layers into 3 lengthwise strips. Then cut either diagonally or horizontally to make 12 or more pieces. Insert 1 whole clove into the center of each piece. Bake 35-45 minutes, or until golden. Place pan on a cake rack to cool. Or, serve it very hot, drizzled with the room temperature syrup. I prefer to serve it at room temperature and have the syrup hot. Either way is delicious!
Recipe created 2011-05-24.
