Turkish Pistachio Baklava

Ingredients

• 24 oz shelled unsalted pistachios (Use coarsely ground pistachios for the bottom layer and finely ground pistachios for the remaining layers.)
• 16 oz phyllo dough (Thawed according to package directions; keep covered with a damp towel while working.)
• 12 oz unsalted butter (Melted; whole butter is preferred over clarified butter for this adaptation.)
• 2 cup granulated sugar (For the syrup.)
• 1.5 cup water (For the syrup, plus a small additional amount for flicking onto the baklava before baking.)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice (Added to the syrup to help prevent crystallization.)
• salt (To taste, if the pistachios are unsalted.)

Steps

1. 1

   Prepare the syrup: combine the sugar, water, and lemon juice in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves, then simmer until the syrup is clear and slightly thickened, about 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and keep warm.

2. 2

   Heat the oven to 475°F (245°C). Use a conventional, non-nonstick cake pan suitable for the phyllo sheets, since the assembled baklava will be cut directly in the pan before baking.

3. 3

   Grind part of the pistachios coarsely and the remainder finely. The coarse pistachios will form the first nut layer; the finer nuts should be used in the upper layers to create a cohesive filling.

4. 4

   Brush the bottom and sides of the pan generously with melted butter. Lay a sheet of phyllo in the pan, allowing it to fit the bottom and come slightly up the sides, then brush it thoroughly with butter.

5. 5

   Continue layering phyllo and butter until the bottom crust is built. Keep unused phyllo covered so it does not dry out or become brittle.

6. 6

   Add the coarsely ground pistachios in an even layer over the phyllo. Press them gently into place without compacting them excessively.

7. 7

   Add the remaining finely ground pistachios in successive even layers, alternating with buttered sheets of phyllo. Brush every sheet thoroughly with butter, taking care to cover the edges and corners.

8. 8

   Finish with the remaining phyllo sheets, buttering each one as it is added. Brush the top generously with the remaining butter.

9. 9

   Using a sharp knife, cut the assembled baklava directly in the pan into 28 pieces before baking. Make clean cuts through all layers, and avoid using a nonstick pan because the knife can scratch its surface.

10. 10

    Flick or lightly sprinkle a small amount of water over the surface of the cut baklava. This helps prevent the relatively dry packaged phyllo from drying excessively in the hot oven.

11. 11

    Bake at 475°F (245°C) until the phyllo is deeply golden and crisp, about 15 to 20 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking until the layers are fully crisp and browned, about 35 to 45 minutes more. The exact timing will depend on the pan and oven.

12. 12

    Remove the baklava from the oven and immediately pour the warm syrup evenly over the entire surface, concentrating on the cuts and edges so the syrup can saturate the layers thoroughly.

13. 13

    Cool the baklava completely in the pan before serving. Recut the pieces if necessary, then serve at room temperature.

Notes

The provided page excerpt did not expose the author’s ingredient list or detailed method because the recipe requires membership, so the quantities and several method details are reconstructed estimates rather than verified source text. The excerpt specifically advises using whole butter, a hot oven with brief baking, flicking water over the surface before baking, pouring warm syrup over the baklava immediately after it comes out of the oven, and cooling completely before serving. Covered tightly, the baklava keeps for up to five days at room temperature.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• baked
• Middle Eastern
• Turkish
• pistachio
• phyllo
• make-ahead
• vegetarian