Baklava
3 cups chopped nuts ~ pecans, we do live in Georgia
1/4 cup of sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 teaspoon ground all ~ spice
1 package phyllo dough
2 sticks unsalted butter
I use a thin aluminum pan 13X 9
Mix nuts, sugar and spices, set aside.
Melt butter in a sauce pot. Layer phyllo in a buttered pan, at least 15 layers. Brush butter between each and every layer. Put half the nut mixture on top to the filo dough. Top with another 10 ~ 15 layers of phyllo buttering between each layer. Then top with the remaining nut mixture. Top with another 15 layers of filo butter each layer. Once this is done sprinkle with a little water to keep from cracking. Cut baklava into desired pieces before baking. Bake at 300 for 20 minutes lower to 250 and bake for 1 hour. Put syrup on top after baking
Honey Syrup Topping
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup water
4 tablespoons honey
1 cinnamon stick
Bring to a boil and simmer on stove for 20 minutes while baklava is baking. Allow to cool before pouring on baklava. I keep the completed baklava in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Bring to room temperature before severing.
This is my own recipe.
