It was a lot easier than I thought it would be, it was just time consuming. Especially since I couldn't find shelled pistachios so I had to do that myself.. so word to the wise, if you can find them shelled do that instead!
I did both a square baklava and a rolled Baklava so I'll post recipes for both below.
Square Baklava
1 package of phyllo pastry
1/2 stick of butter (melted)
1 to 1 1/2 cups pistachios (crushed in blender or food processor)
1/2 cup walnuts (crushed in blender or food processor)
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/2 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla
Preheat the oven to 350 F, butter a 9 x 13 inch baking pan and set aside.
Cut the sheets in half to fit the pan, then set 6 sheets of pastry aside (be sure when you're handling the phyllo pastries you keep them covered with a damp cloth (damp - not wet) so they don't dry out.
Start by layering 2 sheets of phyllo pastry on the bottom of the baking pan brushing butter over them until you've reached 8 sheets.
Sprinkle 3 tbsps of pistachio and 1 tbsp pistachio over the first layer and then top with 2 more sheets of pastry, butter those 2 sheets and top again with nuts, continue doing this 2 sheets at a time until you're done.
Layer the remaining 6 sheets that you set aside earlier on top, brushing them with butter every 2 sheets until you're done (make sure you butter the top layer as well).
Cut these into squares before putting it into the oven to bake.
Once they're cut into squares, put them in the oven and bake for about 55 to 60 minutes, until golden brown.
While the baklava is baking, when it's about 30 mins away from being done make the syrup by combining the sugar and water in a saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium high heat. Once it reaches a boil, add in the 1/2 a cup of honey and tsp of vanilla and simmer for 20 minutes.
When the baklava is ready, pull it out of the oven and immediately spoon the syrup mixture over the baklava evenly. Top each square with a little bit of pistachio if desired.
Set the baklava aside and let it cool (and soak up the syrup) for about a 1/2 an hour to an hour. Remove from pan and serve in cupcake liners.
Now time for the rolled baklava!!
Rolled Baklava
3/4 package of phyllo pastry
1/2 stick of butter (melted)
1 to 1 1/2 cups pistachios (crushed in blender or food processor)
1/2 cup walnuts (crushed in blender or food processor)
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/2 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 F., grease a rectangular baking sheet and set aside.
Take 2 sheets of phyllo pastry and lay flat, brush with butter and top with 3 tbsp pistachios and 1 tbsp of walnuts. Take chopsticks (or whatever long instrument you have - sheesh-kabob sticks would work too - I used chopsticks and found they worked great) and lay them at the edge of the pastry where you're going to begin rolling them and fold the dough over the chopsticks.
Use them to roll the dough over and over tightly until done. Then scrunch the dough pushing from each end until it looks like an accordian and slide the chopsticks out. Place in the baking sheet.
Continue doing this until baking sheet is full. Then brush a layer of butter overtop of the completed baklava before putting it in the oven (this will help it brown up nicely). Cut them in half to double up the amount of rolls.
Bake in the oven at 350 F. for about 25 to 30 minutes.
While the baklava is baking make your syrup by combining the sugar and water in a saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium high heat. Once it reaches a boil, add in the 1/2 a cup of honey and tsp of vanilla and simmer for 20 minutes.
When the baklava is ready, pull it out of the oven and immediately spoon the syrup mixture over the baklava evenly.
Set the baklava aside and let it cool (and soak up the syrup) for about a 1/2 an hour to an hour. Remove from pan and serve in cupcake liners.
Enjoy!!!!
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