GREECE: Baklava

If you have never worked with phyllo (fillo) dough, you may want to take this as a cautionary tale. When you purchase phyllo dough from the grocery store (usually next to puff pastry sheets, pie crusts, and the lot), it typically comes in the form of paper-thin sheets that are stacked and folded in order to fit into a box. You then defrost these sheets, but if they are not totally defrosted, or if you don't handle them properly, they rip. They shred. They disintegrate.



That being said, today I decided to make a batch of baklava. Baklava is one of my favorite desserts I've had as its attached to some very fond memories. Each year, the Greek Orthodox Church in my town hosts a Greek Food Festival. It raises money for the church and for charities all over the city. They prepare for months in order to have enough food and treats to sell. One of the most popular things they sell is of course, baklava.

In case you are unfamiliar of exactly what baklava is, it is a layered, flaky pastry filled with nuts and drenched in a gooey honey sauce. It is delightful. I had always heard that it is fairly easy to make once you get the hang of the dough, so I thought I'd give it a shot. Recipe yields 16 pieces.

I found a recipe online here, and once again, I modified it slightly. Below are my modified directions.


INGREDIENTS:
1 8-oz. package of phyllo dough
1/2 pound hazelnuts, chopped
margarine... I used about 1/3-1/2 cup, but it wasn't totally exact
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 c water
1/2 sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 c honey

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter the bottom and sides of an 8x8 pan. Chop the hazelnuts and toss with cinnamon in a bowl. Set aside.

                                    

2. Unroll the phyllo dough carefully, avoiding breaking it as you go. Make sure it is entirely defrosted, otherwise it may stick or tear.  Cut the stack down to size to fit into the pan. Cover the dough with a slightly damp cloth to prevent it from drying out. (I actually did not do this because mine was slightly sticky. Allowing it to dry partly allowed me to be able to use the sheets of phyllo more easily.)

                                                

3. Place two sheets of dough in the pan, "butter thoroughly." This last direction was so vague it hurt. I interpreted this to mean as follows: melt the butter in the microwave. Then, take a pastry brush and coat the dough thoroughly. If you do not have a pastry brush, take a spoon, and put small amounts of butter on the layer, using the back of the spoon to spread it.

                                               

4. Sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons of nuts onto the layer. Do not actually sprinkle using the spoons, though. Use your hands to sprinkle, as you have more control and can get a more even coating. Repeat following this pattern: 2 sheets of dough, butter, 2 sheets, butter, 2 sheets, butter, nuts...
The top layer should be 6-8 sheets thick.

                                                  

5. Use a sharp knife to cut either squares or diamonds, 4 by 4 pieces in total. Make sure you cut all the way through the bottom layer of dough. Bake for 50 minutes until the top layer is golden and crisp.

                                                

6. While the baklava is baking, make the honey sauce: Combine the sugar and water in a pot and bring to boil, making a simple syrup. Add the vanilla and honey and bring down to a simmer for 20 minutes. Tip: If you are trying to use the last bit of honey in the jar, pour a spoonful of your warm simple syrup into the bottle and swish it around. It should help it flow more easily.

                                     

7. Remove the baklava from the oven and place it on a cooling rack. Immediately spoon the sauce over it, and let cool. Remove from pan carefully, keeping each piece's layers intact. You may wish to take the knife and run it along the edges of each piece before removing them to ensure they are completely loose. Serve in paper cupcake liners.

                                      
                                                                            
8. στην υγεια σας! (I hope that means "cheers!" If not, I blame Google Translate.)
These turned out much better than I expected. The phyllo dough was difficult to work with, but I now realize that it doesn't matter that much if you tear it, as it will all turn out gooey and flaky in the end! If you want an extra special dessert (or if a piece falls apart), take off for a Sundae in Athens--crumble a piece of baklava over vanilla ice cream and add a cherry on top! 
If you give this recipe a try, let me know how it turns out in the comments! Love, Caroline