Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Baklava

Chef: Domenica Houlihan as heard on Nine To Noon Tuesday 17 June 2008

Tags: desserts, pastry, pistachio, almond, Levantine

Ingredients

• 250g ground almonds
• 250g pistachios, finely chopped
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 500g filo pastry
• 500g clarified butter
• Syrup * see recipe below

Method

Combine the nuts, sugar and cinnamon, set aside.

Butter the bottom and sides of a baking tray about 20cm x 30cm.

Layer 10-12 sheets of filo pastry, brushing with the clarified butter in between each layer.

Sprinkle a thin layer of the nut mixture over and repeat the process, this time with about four layers in between the sprinkling of nut mixture.  Continue until all the nut mixture and filo has been used. Finishing with a single layer of buttered filo.

Chill for ½ an hour.

Cut the pastry into diamonds.  Brush again with melted butter.

Bake in slow oven, about 150°C for 1 ½ hours.

When slightly browned remove from the oven, immediately pour the cooled syrup over the top until absorbed.

Syrup

• 3 cups sugar
• 1 ½ cups water
• juice ½ lemon
• 1 cup honey

Combine sugar, juice and water, bring to boil for 10 minutes and then slowly add honey and simmer for 5 minutes.  Cool completely.

Raymond Chan’s wine suggestion

• Margain Botrytis Semillon 2006 (375 ml)
• Chapoutier Muscat Beaumes de Venise 2005 (375 ml)
• Jaboulet Muscat Beaumes de Venise 2006 (375 ml)