This recipe is from Aromas of Aleppo. I will write it down as is but I made it a dozen times so I will put some notes.
1.5 pounds blanched, peeled, unsalted, pistachios
2 TB powdered sugar
5 sticks unsalted butter, melted
24 sheets fila
1 cup cold syrup (3 cups sugar, 1 TB lemon jiice, 1/2 ts rose or orange blossom water)
Notes:
I always use half the pistachios called for bc its just too expensive and I guess we like more filo to pistachio ratio. But I am sure its good either way.
Only if I feel like it do I blanch and peel the pistachios as that takes a while - it still came out good with the skins many times.
I try to use unsalted butter and unsalted pistachios - but If I have the salted kind I still use it but only one or the other. I don't suggest you use salted butter AND salted pistachios. Only one salted item. Its still good a little salty and sweet at the same time
If your fila fall apart I just put it down anyway. Just save one nice sheet of fila for the top. No one can tell you piece them together as long as you overlap it.
If you don't have orange blossom or rose water for the syrup - its OK - I made it with just lemon before
Assembly
I make the syrup first so it cools - as you want cold syrup over hot Baklava. Combine sugar, lemon, orange blossom/rose water, 1 cup of water. Stir until it boils. Simmer for 15 mins until its pretty thick but pourable. Refrigerate.
Preheat oven to 350
Crush pistachios a little (I do this with a mallet in a ziploc baggy as I like it still chunky)
Mix pistachios with the sugar and 1/4 cup melted butter
Put one layer of filo down, brush with butter, do this 12 times, add the pistachios, do it 12 more times. Pour extra butter over top after last layer.
I keep the filo under a a piece of wax paper with a moist paper towel on top while assembling (the recipe says this helps from keeping it dry but I don't know...I just use broken sheets anyway. No one can tell)
I refrigerate it for 30 mins so the butter hardens and I can cut it into any pattern I like then I put it in the oven until its puffy and pretty brown on top about 1 hr.
The second I take it out I pour over the cold syrup.
1.5 pounds blanched, peeled, unsalted, pistachios
2 TB powdered sugar
5 sticks unsalted butter, melted
24 sheets fila
1 cup cold syrup (3 cups sugar, 1 TB lemon jiice, 1/2 ts rose or orange blossom water)
Notes:
I always use half the pistachios called for bc its just too expensive and I guess we like more filo to pistachio ratio. But I am sure its good either way.
Only if I feel like it do I blanch and peel the pistachios as that takes a while - it still came out good with the skins many times.
I try to use unsalted butter and unsalted pistachios - but If I have the salted kind I still use it but only one or the other. I don't suggest you use salted butter AND salted pistachios. Only one salted item. Its still good a little salty and sweet at the same time
If your fila fall apart I just put it down anyway. Just save one nice sheet of fila for the top. No one can tell you piece them together as long as you overlap it.
If you don't have orange blossom or rose water for the syrup - its OK - I made it with just lemon before
Assembly
I make the syrup first so it cools - as you want cold syrup over hot Baklava. Combine sugar, lemon, orange blossom/rose water, 1 cup of water. Stir until it boils. Simmer for 15 mins until its pretty thick but pourable. Refrigerate.
Preheat oven to 350
Crush pistachios a little (I do this with a mallet in a ziploc baggy as I like it still chunky)
Mix pistachios with the sugar and 1/4 cup melted butter
Put one layer of filo down, brush with butter, do this 12 times, add the pistachios, do it 12 more times. Pour extra butter over top after last layer.
I keep the filo under a a piece of wax paper with a moist paper towel on top while assembling (the recipe says this helps from keeping it dry but I don't know...I just use broken sheets anyway. No one can tell)
I refrigerate it for 30 mins so the butter hardens and I can cut it into any pattern I like then I put it in the oven until its puffy and pretty brown on top about 1 hr.
The second I take it out I pour over the cold syrup.
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