BAKLAVA
Ingredients
1-1/2 pounds of walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
40 sheets fillo dough
1 cup butter, melted
Combine walnuts, sugar, cinnamon and cloves.
Brush a 12" x 17" baking pan with butter. Place 10 buttered fillo sheets on bottom. Sprinkle with 1/3 of walnut mixture. Place 7 more buttered fillo sheets on top, then 1/3 more walnut mixture, top with another 7 buttered fillo sheets and rest of walnuts. Finish baklava with another 16 fillo sheets and brush with remaining butter.
With a very sharp knife, score fillo into 1-1/2" diamonds or squares. Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 45-60 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly. Pour warm syrup evenly over baklava.
Makes 88 pieces
BAKLAVA SYRUP
Ingredients
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup honey
2 cups water
1 lemon peel
Bring all ingredients to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Strain and cool slightly. Pour warm syrup over baklava. Cool completely, cut and serve.
At my wedding, my mother bullied the caterer into letting us do a Greek dessert table in addition to the cake. My mom, grandmothers, and aunts started baking a MONTH before, and we had baklava, karidopita (walnut cake), melomakarona (honey cookies), diples (honey rolls), kourabiedes (clove and vanilla cookies covered in powdered sugar). The desserts were OUT OF CONTROL! We sent people home with boxes of dessert--just like a GreekFest, lol.
Lynn, isn't the Atlanta cathedral beautiful? I loved those floor-to-ceiling stained glass icons.
