email this pageTashchian recalls special occasions in Yerevan, when neighbors and family gathered in homes to make phyllo dough from scratch and assemble the distinctive dish. Now she buys ready-made phyllo dough from a baking company. “You have to be smart,” she says with a smile.
Baklava’s origins are Middle Eastern, but more than one country claims it as its own. “The Greek people say it’s our baklava, the Arabs say it’s ours, the Turkish say we made it!” Tashchian says. And where does she believe it originated? “Armenia, of course!” she says, pointing proudly to a picture of people making baklava in her home country. Baklava
Photo: Mark Boughton; Styling: Teresa Blackburn
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Phyllo dough is available fresh in most Greek markets or frozen in all supermarkets. If you buy frozen phyllo, be sure to thaw the unopened package overnight in the refrigerator before unfolding the sheets.
Ingredients
Ingredients
Cooking spray
1 3/4 cups, plus 2 tablespoons, sugar, divided
1 1/4 cups water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon rose water (optional)
1 1/2 cups finely chopped walnuts
1 pound phyllo dough (about 40 9 x 14-inch sheets)
3/4 cup clarified butter
Instructions
1 3/4 cups, plus 2 tablespoons, sugar, divided
1 1/4 cups water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon rose water (optional)
1 1/2 cups finely chopped walnuts
1 pound phyllo dough (about 40 9 x 14-inch sheets)
3/4 cup clarified butter
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly coat a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Dissolve 1 3/4 cups sugar in the water in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Add lemon juice and bring to boil again. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Add rose water if using.
3. Combine walnuts and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar.
4. Open phyllo dough and spread it out. Place 2 sheets of dough on baking sheet. Cover remaining phyllo with a damp cloth to keep from drying. Liberally brush the top of the two sheets with butter. Place 2 more sheets on top; brush with butter. Repeat until half the dough is used. Spread walnut mixture over dough.
5. Place 2 sheets of dough over walnut mixture. Brush top with butter. Repeat until remaining dough sheets are used. Be sure to brush the top layer with butter. Cut baklava into 4 strips (2 1/4 inches wide x 14 inches long), dipping the knife into water between cuts. Cut each strip into 4 rectangles (2 1/4 inches wide x 3 1/2 inches long). Cut each rectangle into halves diagonally.
6. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Cool 10 minutes. Drizzle sugar syrup over baklava and serve. Makes 32 pieces.
Recipe by Nina Tashchian, Nina’s Bakery, Fresno, Calif.
Tips from the Test Kitchen
2. Dissolve 1 3/4 cups sugar in the water in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Add lemon juice and bring to boil again. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Add rose water if using.
3. Combine walnuts and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar.
4. Open phyllo dough and spread it out. Place 2 sheets of dough on baking sheet. Cover remaining phyllo with a damp cloth to keep from drying. Liberally brush the top of the two sheets with butter. Place 2 more sheets on top; brush with butter. Repeat until half the dough is used. Spread walnut mixture over dough.
5. Place 2 sheets of dough over walnut mixture. Brush top with butter. Repeat until remaining dough sheets are used. Be sure to brush the top layer with butter. Cut baklava into 4 strips (2 1/4 inches wide x 14 inches long), dipping the knife into water between cuts. Cut each strip into 4 rectangles (2 1/4 inches wide x 3 1/2 inches long). Cut each rectangle into halves diagonally.
6. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Cool 10 minutes. Drizzle sugar syrup over baklava and serve. Makes 32 pieces.
Recipe by Nina Tashchian, Nina’s Bakery, Fresno, Calif.
The Baklava had a very appealing appearance with a slight shiny surface. It was one of the most delicious flavors I have ever tried. Very easy to prepare though somewhat messy. An excellent dessert. Everything was easy to find and tasty. — Sue Staggs
It looked great in the pan after it was baked. Very addicting! The sugar syrup for the top really makes the recipe. I would have liked dimensions of a baking sheet, not just “a large rimmed baking sheet.” This could mean something different to different people. Also, where it says “place 2 sheets of dough… on a baking sheet” — is this side by side, on top of each other, etc. More direction would be helpful. — Cary Fulford
Editors’ note: Sorry for the confusion. The 2 sheets of dough placed on the pan should be one on top of the other. You’ll end up with a stack of phyllo sheets.
Nutritional Information
It looked great in the pan after it was baked. Very addicting! The sugar syrup for the top really makes the recipe. I would have liked dimensions of a baking sheet, not just “a large rimmed baking sheet.” This could mean something different to different people. Also, where it says “place 2 sheets of dough… on a baking sheet” — is this side by side, on top of each other, etc. More direction would be helpful. — Cary Fulford
Editors’ note: Sorry for the confusion. The 2 sheets of dough placed on the pan should be one on top of the other. You’ll end up with a stack of phyllo sheets.
Per piece: 140 calories, 9g fat, 10g chol., 2g prot., 17g carbs., 1g fiber, 70mg sodium.
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