Baklava

La storia di questo piatto

Baklava is the golden memory of the Ottoman Empire pressed into layers thin as whispered secrets, born in the kitchens of Istanbul where empires dreamed in sugar and rose water, where every diamond-shaped piece carries the weight of centuries and the pride of a civilization that once touched three continents.

Ingredienti

• 400 g Phyllo dough
• 200 g Shelled walnuts
• 150 g Shelled pistachios
• 150 ml Melted butter
• 250 ml Honey
• 60 ml Rose water
• 100 ml Water
• 100 g Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
• 3 pieces Cloves
• 15 ml Lemon juice

Preparazione

1. Take the walnuts and pistachios and mince them finely with a knife on a cutting board, or use a food processor: use short pulses to get small pieces (it should not become a fine powder). Put the minced mixture into a bowl and add the ground cinnamon. Mix well with a spoon until everything is the same color and you can smell the cinnamon aroma spreading throughout the mixture.
2. Prepare a rectangular baking sheet measuring 25x35 cm. If you wish, place parchment paper on the bottom so you can remove the baklava more easily afterward. Take one sheet of phyllo dough (it is very thin and tears easily: handle it gently). Lay it out on the baking sheet. With a pastry brush dipped in melted butter, paint the entire sheet with light brush strokes from one corner to the other, as if you were painting a picture. Make sure the entire surface is covered with butter with no dry patches.
3. Continue laying down 4 to 5 more sheets of phyllo dough one on top of another. Before placing each new sheet, brush the previous one with melted butter using light and even brush strokes. After placing each sheet, gently press it down with your open palm to make it adhere well without tearing. As you add the sheets, you will feel the dough becoming rigid and crispy thanks to the butter.
4. Pour the entire walnut and pistachio mixture onto the phyllo dough. Distribute it evenly using your clean hands or a spoon, creating a layer approximately 1 to 2 centimeters thick. Press it down lightly with your fingertips to make it stick well, but do not press too hard or you will tear the dough underneath.
5. Lay down 4 to 5 more sheets of phyllo dough over the filling, just as you did before. Brush each sheet with melted butter before adding the next one, using light and even brush strokes in all directions. Press down gently after placing each sheet.
6. Repeat the process: add another layer of the walnut and pistachio mixture approximately 1 to 2 centimeters thick, then cover with 4 to 5 sheets of phyllo dough brushed with butter. Keep alternating layers of nuts and phyllo dough until you run out of ingredients. Always finish with 4 to 5 sheets of phyllo dough on top, with no filling on top of them. The final thickness should be approximately 3 to 4 centimeters.
7. Brush the top layer of phyllo dough generously with melted butter, covering the entire surface. Take a sharp knife and cut the baklava into even pieces approximately 5 centimeters on each side: first make diagonal cuts from one corner of the baking sheet to the other, then make additional cuts perpendicular to the first ones, creating diamonds or squares. The knife must reach all the way to the bottom of the baking sheet, cutting through all the layers. Wipe the knife between cuts to get clean lines.
8. Bake at 175°C. The baklava cooks until it becomes golden and crispy, approximately 35 to 40 minutes. Starting from the 35-minute mark, check it frequently: touch the surface lightly with your finger and you will feel it make a 'crunch' sound and feel rigid. Look at the color: it should be golden brown, not dark or black. You will smell a sweet and inviting aroma spreading from the kitchen. When you see the right color, feel the crispness, and smell the aroma, the baklava is ready.
9. While the baklava bakes, prepare the syrup: pour the honey, water, sugar, and cloves into a small saucepan. Turn the heat to medium and stir from time to time with a spoon. You will see the first bubbles rising to the surface and smell the sweet aroma of honey spreading. When it comes to a boil, let it boil for approximately 5 minutes. The syrup will become slightly thicker and will have the consistency of liquid honey.
10. Remove the syrup from the heat. Add the rose water and lemon juice, stirring well. You will immediately smell a fresh and floral aroma spreading: this is the signal that the flavors have come together. Let the syrup rest at room temperature (it can still be warm) while the baklava finishes cooking. This way, when you pour it over the hot baklava, the syrup will still be warm and will penetrate better into the layers.
11. When the baklava is golden and crispy, remove it from the oven carefully using oven mitts. Pour the warm syrup over the entire surface of the hot baklava, pouring it slowly with a ladle or directly from the saucepan. You will see it absorb the liquid quickly: the baklava will become saturated and the surface will shine.
12. Let the baklava rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes (you can wait even longer, up to several hours). During this resting time, it will completely absorb the syrup and the layers will become sweet, crispy, and succulent all at once. Serve the pieces when they are still slightly warm or at room temperature.