Pistachio baklava with orange blossom Posted on 6 November 2019 Tags:blaklava The Greeks love their syrupy desserts (siropiasta). This one combines nuts, honey and thin layers of crispy pastry. Many countries in the region make baklava, but each uses a different mix of nuts. We’ve also added orange blossom water, which pairs wonderfully with the pistachios. If there is any baklava left, it’ll keep well in an airtight container for a week. Place individual pieces on baking paper to prevent them from sticking. Baklava can also be frozen and reheated later. Makes 36 pieces 500g phyllo pastry, defrosted 2¼ cups shelled pistachios, plus ⅓ cup, chopped 2¼ cups walnuts 2T brown sugar 1½t cinnamon ½t ground cardamom 1 cup unsalted butter, melted Syrup 1 cup sugar ½ cup honey juice of ½ lemon 1t vanilla essence 1 cup water 1T orange blossom water Method Preheat oven to 180˚C. Grease a 22 x 33cm baking dish. Trim the phyllo sheets to fit into the dish. Place nuts, sugar and spices in a food processor and pulse until coarse. Pour this filling mixture into a bowl. To assemble, sprinkle six sheets of phyllo with melted butter and layer on top of each other in the baking dish. Top with a third of the filling. Place another six buttered phyllo sheets on top and another third of the filling. Repeat once more, using up all the filling, and top with eight buttered sheets of phyllo. Using a sharp knife, slice the baklava into diamonds. (Slice lengthways into six strips, then cut across the diagonal.) Top with chopped pistachios. Bake the baklava for 25 minutes, until golden and crisp. Remove, cover with foil and bake for another 10 minutes. Simmer the syrup ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and let it cool. Once the baklava comes out of the oven, pour over the syrup. Let it cool a bit before removing individual pieces to serve. Recipes and styling by Chiara Turilli, Food Photography by Gareth Van Nelson Related Posts A South African summer with a Caribbean Twist 22 November 2022 South Africans more than deserve laid-back days in the sun this summer. Caribbean Twist is the... read more 10 coffee shops to visit in Johannesburg 1 November 2022 Finding the best coffee shops in Johannesburg can be tricky. We’ve put together a list... read more Celebrity chefs will fire up a custom-built kitchen at Decorex Joburg 20 July 2022 It’s going to be hot in the concept kitchen at Decorex Joburg this year as... read more PREV ARTICLE NEXT ARTICLE
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