Pistachio Turkish Baklava
Layers of paper-thin phyllo dough, rich melted butter, and finely crushed pistachios, all soaked in a sweet syrup.
Ingredients
Pastry
- 1 package (500g) phyllo dough, thawed
- 250g unsalted butter, clarified and melted
- 3 cups unsalted pistachios, finely ground
Syrup
- 2 cups sugar
- 1.5 cups water
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 slice of lemon
Instructions
Make Syrup
Boil sugar, water, and the lemon slice for 15 minutes until it thickens slightly. Stir in the lemon juice and let it cool completely. Cold syrup is crucial for crispy baklava.
Prep Phyllo
Unroll the phyllo dough and trim it to fit your baking pan (usually 9x13 inches). Keep it covered with a damp towel so it doesn't dry out.
Layer Base
Brush the pan with clarified butter. Place one sheet of phyllo, brush with butter, and repeat until you have 15 layers.
Add Nuts
Spread an even, thick layer of the finely ground pistachios over the buttered phyllo base.
Top Layers
Add another 15 layers of phyllo on top of the nuts, brushing every single sheet with butter. Brush the top layer generously.
Cut and Bake
Using a very sharp knife, cut the unbaked baklava into diamonds or squares all the way to the bottom. Bake at 180°C for 45 minutes until deep golden brown.
Soak
Remove the hot baklava from the oven and immediately pour the cold syrup evenly over the top. Let it sit at room temperature for at least 4 hours to absorb.
Nutrition Facts
* Based on a 2,000 calorie diet.