The biggest tip I can give is have a helper.. Trim the sheets so they fit the pan you are using.
What do you mean, your technique is missing something?
Here's how I do it.
Melt 1/2 pound of butter. Place a pound of pecans or walnut halves and 2oz of sugar plus a large TBS cinnamon into a food processor and pause the mixture a few times till the nuts are the size of BBs. Open one sleeve of phillo dough and trim it to the size of your pan.
Brush a bit of melted butter on the bottom of your baking pan. Add a sheet of phillo. Brush on butter. Repeat 10-12 times. Top with half the nut mixture. Dribble some melted butter on the nut mix, cover with a sheet of phillo and have your helper hold it in place while you brush butter on it. It usually takes two sheets of phillo before they won't move while you butter them. Layer 8-9 sheets of phillo buttering each as you go.. Add the rest of the nut mix, dribble butter on it and cover with a sheet of phillo having your helper hold it in place while you butter it. Lay down 10-12 sheets of phillo bettering each as you go.
Tips:
If two sheets of phillo stick together (a common problem) don't worry, just slather a little extra butter on them and just keep going.. You have to work quickly or the phillo dries out, that's why having a helper is useful. One person lays the sheet in the pan and the other person butters it.. If a sheet tares in half don't worry, just lay in both parts and butter. The number of sheets per layer isn't written in stone, just make sure you have 10 or more on the bottom to form a good base. You may have to rewarm the butter to keep a liquid consistency. And you may need more than half a pound. Another reason to have a helper one person is in charge of the butter, the other the phillo sheets.
Now that everything is assembled, cut it into large squares, then cut the squares on a diagonal. Making triangles. Preheat your oven to 350F. Bake on the middle rack for 50-60 minutes until it is Golden brown..
When the Baklava has cooled somewhat 30 minutes or so, start to make the sauce. The sauce is the secret to good Baklava.
Place one cup of sugar in the pot, add 1/2C water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer the mixture for 8 minutes. While it simmers, add 1/3C of honey and 1 to 2TBS of lemon juice, 1/2tsp vanilla.. Stirring to mix well, take the syrup off the stove and let it cool for maybe 5 minutes. Then pour the syrup over the Baklava and let everything sit for an hour or better yet overnight. If you let it sit overnight, cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil. If the ratio of honey to lemon is right, when you bite into the Baklava you taste the honey and cinnamon first and a few seconds later you taste the lemon. It takes a little practice to get the ratio right. Even if it isn't perfect, no one will complain, who wouldn't love honey dripped cinnamon toast?
If you have any questions, let me know.
