SERENA’S BAKLAVA

SERENA’S BAKLAVA

1 (12 oz) bag of shelled roasted & salted pistachios

(Can also add to this some walnuts if desire or even almonds)

2 tbsp ground cinnamon

1 cup sugar

2 cups crushed iced oatmeal cookies

3 Rolls of phyllo dough to make this extra large pan which is a half sheet. So you would buy two of these phyllo dough packages and just put the unopened roll back in the freezer.

4 sticks salted butter

SYRUP

2 cups water

3 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup pure honey

2 tbsp lemon juice

First get your phyllo dough out of the freezer and let it thaw.

You must be very careful with your sheets of phyllo. They are paper thin and when they dry out they crumble. ..

lay them out on the counter flat and lightly dampen a clean dish towel and lay it over the phyllo dough as you work so it will not dry out

next grab your pistachios

and pour in to your food processor,

grind them down

and add in two tbsp of cinnamon. then add 1/2 cup sugar and continue to mix well.

Add mixture to a bowl.

Now I take some iced oatmeal cookies

and grind them up, (two stacks make 2 cups which is what I need.) if you don’t have these try using graham crackers or a similar cookie.

Combine the cookies with the nuts.

Get your half sheet pan (or 9×13 if doing less) and butter or spray it well, I spray with bakers joy.

Then you prepare 4 sticks of melted butter.

start by evenly layering your phyllo sheets on each side of the pan, buttering as many layers as you can as you go.

After ten sheets on each side of the pan I will then add in handfuls of my nut crumb mixture. spreading evenly over the whole pan.

Now comes in my other half cup of sugar… take some of that sugar and spread it over the whole pan evenly rubbing into the nuts

start evenly adding more phyllo and buttering the sheets as you go

make another layer of your nut crumb mixture. then rest of sugar same as before.

finish your phyllo dough you have remaining by topping that layer, and don’t forget to butter them as you go, pouring all the butter that remains at the end over top and brushing well.

Now preheat oven to 350 degrees. and prepare your Syrup then go back to cut the diamond pattern and put into oven for 45 minutes or so.

Put the water , sugar and honey in your heavy sauce pot

and put on medium high heat let it boil 15 minutes as it cooks down then add 2 tbsp lemon juice and boil 5 minutes and take off heat if syrup is right consistency and let cool .

When cutting your diamond pattern start by carefully cutting into long even strips

then carefully cut on the diagonal. a sharp knife or pizza cutter may do the job but if your phyllo dough can tear easily if you aren’t careful.

After it bakes you may need to cut again before pouring your syrup over.

bake at 350 for about 42 minutes

When it comes out of the oven, your syrup should have cooled some so you can pour it over the phyllo. If your syrup is steaming hot it will make it soggy..

once you pour you will leave it uncovered overnight. then cover in the morning.

Enjoy, it should be crispy and chewy and not dry but not soggy if you are successful.

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