Baklava

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 350 g pistachios, ground
• 150 g powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp cardamom
• 150 g butter, melted
• 18 sheets of pastry, filo dough (available in Turkish shops)
• 450 g sugar (for syrup)
• 300 ml water (for syrup)
• 30 ml rose water (optional, refines the taste)

Instructions

Working time approx. 50 minutes; Total time approx. 50 minutes

First, make the syrup. Bring the water and sugar to a boil in a saucepan, then simmer for 10 minutes. (Optional: Add rose water at this point.) Let cool. Mix together the pistachios, powdered sugar, and cardamom. Preheat oven to 160°C. Lightly grease a large rectangular baking pan with butter. Brush one filo sheet at a time with the melted butter (cover the remaining sheets well with a damp paper towel to prevent them from drying out) and cover the bottom of the baking pan. Continue until you have six sheets lying side by side. Now, spread half of the nut mix over the layer with a spoon and press it down firmly. Brush another 6 filo sheets with butter and place them on top of the nut mix, then sprinkle the second half of the nut mix on top. Finally, arrange the last 6 buttered filo sheets on the surface. Now cut the whole thing diagonally, then vertically, with a sharp knife, so that the individual baklava will be diamond-shaped. Spread the remaining butter on top. Bake for 20 minutes, then increase the temperature to 200°C. Leave in the oven for another 15 minutes, until it is lightly golden. Remove from the oven and pour 3/4 of the syrup over the baklava. Arrange the baklava on a beautiful plate, place the remaining syrup next to it, and serve. TIP: In Greece, baklava is served with very strong coffee, which is drunk unsweetened, as the baklava already contains a lot of sugar. This is the best way to enjoy baklava.