Walnut Baklava

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                            FOOD FUNNY
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Here's a commentary on the current state of food prices from
Rosemary Zwick:

I asked the farmer whose tomatoes were 80 cents a pound, if
he raised them himself? He said, "Yes, they were 60 cents
a pound yesterday."

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                            TODAY'S RECIPE
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This classic pastry is easier to make than you might think,
provided you can buy phyllo in your area. It is widely available
in the US, usually sold frozen in most supermarkets. Elsewhere
you may have to seek out a Greek or Middle Eastern specialty
shop. Even if you have to go to some lengths to find it, you
will agree it was worth the trouble after you take your first bite
of this delight.

Walnut Baklava

4 cups chopped walnuts
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbs ground cinnamon
1 1/4 cups melted butter
1 1/2 lbs (700 g) phyllo

The syrup
4 cups sugar
3 cups water
1 1/2 cups honey
1 cinnamon stick
5 to 6 whole cloves

Mix together the walnuts, sugar and cinnamon. Select a pan
the size of the phyllo sheets and brush well with melted butter.
Use 4 sheets of phyllo for the bottom layer, brushing each
one with butter before adding the next, and top with a sheet
of unbuttered phyllo. Sprinkle with a handful of the walnut
mixture. Cover with a buttered sheet, an unbuttered sheet,
and another sprinkling of walnuts. Repeat until the ingredients
are used up, reserving 5 sheet of phyllo for the top layer.
Brush each of the top 5 sheets with ample butter, and pour
the remaining butter over the top of the last sheet. Trim the
edges if necessary, and cut the baklava into the traditional
diamond pattern. Do not cut through the bottom layer. Sprinkle
the top of the baklava lightly with water from your fingertips.
Bake in a pre-heated 250F (120C) for about 1 hour. Remove
from oven and cool.

For the syrup, combine the sugar and water in a large pot
and boil for 5 minutes. Add the honey, cinnamon stick and
cloves, and boil for 5 minutes more. Pour the hot syrup over
the cooled baklava. Do not pour over a hot baklava, it will
turn soggy. Cool then cut through the bottom layer of phyllo
following the previous cuts.
Makes 30 to 40 servings.
Received on Thu Apr 21 13:14:49 2011