Turkish Pistachio Baklava Recipe

Turkish Pistachio Baklava Recipe

• 12 oz pistachios
• 12 oz walnuts
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/8 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1.25 cups honey
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp orange blossom water to the syrup

• 1.5 cups unsalted butter (3 sticks) clarified*
• 1.5 pounds frozen phyllo, thawed

1. Combine the pistachios and the walnuts in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped in short pulses.
2. Add the cinnamon, cardamom, and salt and briefly pulse again to combine.
3. Transfer the nuts to a bowl and set aside for later use.

1. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar, water, honey, lemon, salt, and cinnamon over medium-high heat.
2. Bring the combination to a boil, stirring regularly.
3. Once boiling, turn the heat to medium-low and simmer for five minutes.
4. Remove the syrup from the heat, and add the orange blossom water.

1. Place the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat.
2. Let the butter melt and warm until foam rises to the top and the milk solids fall to the bottom of the pan.
3. This process can take anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes, depending on how high your heat is.
4. When the butter has separated, skim the foam off the top.
5. Line a fine-mesh strainer with a piece of cheesecloth.
6. Place the lined sieve over a measuring cup and pour the melted butter through the cloth to eliminate any remaining foam.

1. Begin by preheating the oven to 300F.
2. Unfold the thawed phyllo dough out onto a large cutting board. Turn your baking pan upside down in the center of the dough.
3. Using a sharp knife, cut around the pan, trimming off any excess dough.
4. Remove the pan and set the dough to the side, covering it in a sheet of plastic wrap and a damp kitchen towel to prevent the pastry from drying out.
5. Brush the 12-inch round baking pan with a thin layer of the clarified butter.
6. Place the first sheet of phyllo down into the pan and brush with more butter.
7. Repeat with 6 more sheets of phyllo for a total of 7 sheets to create the base of your baklava.
8. Spread 2 cups of the nuts mixture of the phyllo.
9. Top with another sheet of dough and drizzle with more butter. Gently use your pastry brush to spread it evenly over this bumpy layer, and repeat with two more layers of pastry.
10. Add another 1.5 cups of nuts on top of the second layer of pastry.
11. Repeat with three more layers of phyllo and top with the remaining ground nuts.
12. Finish with the final seven sheets of phyllo, brushing butter between each.
13. Using your hands, compress the layers, starting in the center and working outward to remove air pockets.
14. Using a sharp knife with a pointed tip, cut the baklava into your desired pattern.
15. Brush the last and top of the phyllo with any remaining melted butter – this will give a nice golden top.
16. Bake the baklava in the oven until golden brown (this should take about 1.5 hours).
17. Remove from the oven and immediately pour your prepared honey syrup over the baklava, concentrating on the cut lines of the pastry.
18. Sprinkle each piece of baklava with ground pistachios to garnish.
19. Cool for about 4 hours on a wire rack, then cover and allow the baklava to rest overnight before serving.