*  Exported from  MasterCook  *
 
                                  Baklava
 
 Recipe By     : BETH WOODELL <woodell@UMUC.UMD.EDU>
 Serving Size  : 1    Preparation Time :0:00
 Categories    : Desserts
 
   Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
 --------  ------------  --------------------------------
                         Filling
    4      c             chopped nuts (usually walnuts)*
      1/4  c             sugar
    2      tsp           ground cinnamon*
      1/4  tsp           ground allspice*
      1/4  tsp           ground cloves*
                         Dough
   10      tbsp          unsalted butter or margarine**
    1 1/2  tbsp          vegetable oil**
    2      tsp           warm water**
    1      pound         phyllo dough
                         Syrup
    2      c             sugar
    1      c             cold water
                         Shredded peel from a medium orange
                         Shredded peel from a medium lemon*
      1/2  c             + 2 tbsp honey
                         Juice of a medium lemon
                         chocolate chips (optional for “choclava”)
 
 Make the filling: Simply mix the nuts, sugar, spices in a bowl and set aside.
 
 Make the pastry part: Melt the butter or margarine over low heat in a small
 saucepan and keep handy, with a pastry brush at hand. **Personally, I prefer
 to just skip this whole process and spray the sheets of dough with Pam instead.
 It works just as well. But if you want to do it up right the first time,
 read on.
 
 Remove the phyllo dough from its inner lining. Unfold it so it lies flat and
 keep it covered with a moistened kitchen towel while you work with the pastry.
 Dip your pastry brush in the butter/oil and coat the bottom and sides of a 10
 x 15 x 1″ jelly roll pan (or a 9 x 13 x 2 cake pan in a pinch--the important
 thing is that it be deep enough to accept all the sugar syrup you're going
 to pour into it).Trim the sheets of phyllo so they fit the pan. (You'll
 probably have enough for another dish, such as wrapped chicken or spana-
 kopita (8-9).)
 
 Layer one sheet of phyllo in the pan, brush it with butter/oil or spray it,
 and cover it with another sheet. Repeat. After 5 sheets, sprinkle some of
 the nut mixture onto the sheets, covering them pretty completely. Repeat
 the above every 3 sheets of dough until you have no more nuts left, then
 top with 5 more sheets of dough. (Tip from personal experience: At least
 the first time, yes you gotta butter each sheet of phyllo. The pastry
 is very dry without it. That’s why I like to use PAM instead) Don't forget
 to cover the remaining dough each time you retrieve a sheet of it from the
 pile.
 
 Score the pastry by cutting into diamond shapes with a sharp knife. The book
 says to cut only partway through, but I always cut all the way through. Bake at
 350 for 1 hour. The pastry should be golden on top.
 
 While the baklava is in the oven, prepare the syrup: Combine the sugar, water,
 citrus peel and 1/2 c honey in a medium saucepan. Slowly heat the mixture
 over medium heat, swirling the pan, until the sugar dissolves; then simmer,
 uncovered and undistrubed, until the mixture reaches 212 on a candy thermo-
 meter (about 10 minutes). Remove the syrup from the heat and now add the re-
 maining honey and the lemon juice. Cool completely.
 
 To complete the pastry, when it is done take it from the oven and IMMEDIATELY
 pour the syrup over the top of the entire hot pan. If you can stand it, let the
 baklava sit for at least 4 hours or overnight.  This recipe freezes; or
 you can store it at room temperature; or, you can bring it to my house and
 not worry about storage. :)
 
 *to make the Hawaiian baklava, I replaced the walnuts with macadamia nuts,
 the lemon and orange peel with pineapple juice, and tossed in some dried
 pineapple chunks and coconut into the nut mix. Spices could be replaced by
 ginger, but I think that is gilding the lily.
 
 To make choclava, the last layer of nuts before putting the “lid” on the
 pastry can also contain a layer of chocolate chips. I like to put the choco-
 late chips near the top rather than the bottom so as not to scorch the chips.
 The Hawaiian baklava got a layer of white chocolate chips.
 
 Any commentary from those growing up in households where this recipe was made
 routinely are most welcome. Perhaps some of you made it with pistachios? I
 just remembered seeing that variation in some Greek restaurants. (I wish I
 could be an honorary Greek-American; I don't speak the language but I sure
 do love the food!)
 
                    
 
 
 
 
 
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