Baklava with Pistachios and Walnuts

La storia di questo piatto

Baklava belongs to the great Turkish table of sweets, where layered pastry, nuts and syrup have long spoken of celebration and welcome. Here the pistachio and walnut baklava keeps that spirit: paper-thin sheets, green-gold nuts, a perfume that feels like the East itself.

Ingredienti

• 400 g Phyllo pastry
• 120 g Shelled walnuts
• 230 g Shelled pistachios
• 220 ml Melted butter
• 100 ml Honey
• 5 ml Rose water
• 150 ml Water
• 200 g Sugar
• 0.5 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
• 2 pieces Cloves
• 20 ml Lemon juice

Preparazione

1. Coarsely chop the walnuts and pistachios with a knife or with brief pulses of a food processor: the pieces should stay small, not turn to powder. Transfer them to a bowl, add the cinnamon and mix. Divide the mixture into 2 equal portions.
2. Preheat the oven to 170°C, conventional mode. Line a 25x35 cm rectangular baking tin with baking paper and brush the bottom with a little melted butter. Unroll the phyllo and keep it covered with a damp cloth: the unused sheets dry out and tear quickly. Lay one sheet in the tin (trimming it if necessary) and brush it with melted butter over the entire surface, edges included.
3. Layer 7 more sheets, brushing each with butter before placing the next and pressing gently with your hand: the base is 8 sheets in total.
4. Spread half of the nut mixture in a thin, even layer (about 5 mm), levelling it with the back of a spoon without pressing too hard.
5. Cover with 8 sheets of phyllo, brushing each sheet with melted butter. Spread the second half of the nut mixture evenly over the top.
6. Finish with the last 8 sheets of phyllo (about 24 in total), each brushed with butter. Brush the surface generously with the remaining butter. The final thickness will be about 2-3 cm.
7. Using a very sharp, thin-bladed knife, cut the baklava before baking: first make parallel cuts along the long side about 4 cm apart, then diagonal cuts to form diamonds. Use a firm motion and cut all the way to the bottom of the tin, wiping the blade clean when needed.
8. Bake at 170°C for 45-50 minutes, until the surface and edges are golden and the scent of toasted butter fills the kitchen. Do not touch the surface with your fingers: judge by the colour, which should be a deep golden but not dark.
9. While the baklava bakes, prepare the syrup: in a small saucepan combine honey, water, sugar and cloves. Bring to the boil over medium heat, stirring from time to time, then simmer for about 5 minutes, until the syrup is slightly thick.
10. Remove the syrup from the heat, discard the cloves, add the lemon juice and rose water and stir. Let it cool completely to room temperature.
11. Take the baklava out of the oven and immediately pour the room-temperature cold syrup over the still-hot surface, distributing it slowly so it also seeps along the cuts. It will sizzle: this is normal and guarantees crispness.
12. Leave the baklava uncovered at room temperature for at least 4 hours (ideally overnight), so it absorbs the syrup without losing its crispness. Serve at room temperature.