Sep 16, 2009

BAKLAVA

Baklava is one of the most famous desserts of Turkey, which is a sweet pastry stuffed with lots of crushed nuts. There is no evidence where this Baklava born but some source shows it is from Central Asian Turkic origin but developed in the kitchens of Topkapi Palace of Ottoman Empire in Turkey. Turkish people like to eat this Baklava especially in occasions like in the holy month of Ramadan and a best choice for Iftar. I first tasted this delicious sweet pastry in Turkey last year when I went to a tour to Istanbul and I just loved that flakey texture with sweet and nutty flavored delicious dessert. In Turkey they serve baklava with whipped cream and pistachios. Baklava is made by thin sheets of phyllo dough, you can make this dough at home but it is easily available in grocery stores and you can get ready to use frozen phyllo dough and sheets too. It's a little lengthy job but worth it and I made it with frozen phyllo sheets and her is the recipe……..
Check the Baklava recipe here....
Photobucket INGREDIENTS:---
Phyllo pastry sheets – 1 pack (we need 20 to 25 sheets)
Unsalted melted butter --- 1 cup + 3 tab sp
Pistachios --- 2 cups coarsely ground
1/2 cup --- cream
Casserole dish – 13/9 inches preferably square

FOR BAKLAVA:----
1. Thaw the phyllo sheets and place then on a flat surface like on a kitchen counter and cut them in to half now you have 2 blocks of phyllo sheets, (keep them separate because we are going make a layer of coarsely ground pistachios in between these 2 blocks) and then cut in to 8/12 inches make sure that all sheets are in same size.
2. Apply butter in side the casserole dish then lay down 2 sheets of phyllo sheets and then spread melted butter on top of these 2 sheets and then lay down 2 more sheets on top of the buttered sheets and continue the process till you finish 1 block of phyllo sheets don't forget to spread the melted butter in between every 2 layers of phyllo sheets.
3. After you finish the first block of phyllo sheets spread the cream on top of it and spread the ground pistachios evenly on top of the cream.
4. Now start with the second block of phyllo sheets same as we done with the first block on top of pistachios like lay down 2 layers and spread butter in each 2 layers and do this till you finish the 2nd block.
5. Now spread with butter nicely on very top layer, don't forget this step.
6. Now dip a sharp knife in hot water to cut Baklava into square shape.
Pre heat the oven at 375 degree F. for 10 min and place the casserole in the oven and bake in the middle rack for 15 min and reduce the heat and bake for 25 min. or till it become nice golden color on top.
7. Remove from the oven and leave it at room temperature for 10 min
FOR BAKLAVA SYRUP:---

Sugar – 1 cup
Water – 1 cup
Honey – 1 cup
Lemon juice – 1 tab sp
1. Mix water and sugar in a pan and bring to a full boil and keep boiling for 15 min. and remove from heat add lemon juice and honey and let it cool for a while.
2. Now pour this warm syrup on top of the Baklava evenly along with the cut lines.
3. Make sure pour the syrup only between the lines.
4. Leave it covered with a foil at least for 4-5 hours the syrup should be completely absorbed.
5. No need to keep it in the fridge, cover loosely with foil.
Enjoy Iftar with this delicious BAKLAVA.

34 comments:

lubnakarim06 said...

Wow....looks extremely drool worthy....love that layered delicacy...new to me...but the use of ingredients and method sounds extremely yum.....nice pic Padma.....I like those turkey dancer's in the background....very cute.....

Finla said...

I love baklava, so syrupy, sweet and so so delcious.
I have neve rmad ethem home as I am the only person who loves it. You can always send me few :-)

Gita Jaishankar said...

OMG I am drooling over those baklavas :) Nice pictures Rekha :)

Saritha said...

Looks so delicious rekha,i had this once my arab collegue gave me long back.

Home Cooked Oriya Food said...

awesome pix... I have eaten it once and know how yummy it is...
Never tried at home though...

Aps Kitchen said...

Akka this is completely completely new dish to me luks awesome.... nd i will try when i buy a csserole dish :).... First when i read the name i felt it wa s AP dish but no its of turkey gr8 one cute pix

Padma said...

I love Baklava... looks so perfect and crisp ....

Sailaja Damodaran said...

Nice click....my version looks a bit different...

Shaista Tabrez said...

I like middleeastern sweets specially baklava...when we went to Mi few weeks back, there is a famous bakery fromLebanon there which carry so many varieties of sweets, icecreams and pastries, and we brought back a box full of baklava and storage life is 45 days..what else do u want???
may be a sweet tooth would be all

chef and her kitchen said...

Never tasted it..but I m sure that it will be delicious....nice layered one with lots of nuts..nice click too

Suparna said...

superb .................Rekha absolutely droolworthy :) oh so yummm, wonderful snaps.

Parita said...

Wow these look so perfect and impressive photography!

Anu Nandu said...

Looks awesomely delicious! Love it! Wish i can have one right now for breakfast! hahah

Unknown said...

Looks absolutely fantastic, can you pass it on please. Nice clicks.

Nithya said...

Something very different and interesting. Lovely click :)

Unknown said...

that looks so perfect and yumm..

Vidhya said...

wow.. Baklava looks extremely delicious...

Anonymous said...

Hi Rekha,

Lovely layering and firmness to the baklava which is important....YUM Yum

Shobha

Priya Suresh said...

Wow just love baklava, had it long back, u did at home..simply superb dear...

Cynthia said...

Outstandingly good!

kittymatti said...

it looks so perfect, better than any baklawa i've seen..hats off!

Recipeswap said...

wow that is beautiful.
plz accept scrumptious award from my blog.

Lakshmi said...

Awesome picture Rekha. I am all drooling over the picture.

Sanghi said...

New and delicious..!

lata raja said...

Awesome effort Rekha. I am happy to watch this. Wonder if I have the patience :(

amna said...

my lebanese manager brings this back each time from Lebanon. its amazing, to say the least!

Valarmathi Sanjeev said...

Wow drooling over the picture Padma, Nice click too.

Chitra said...

hmm, looks superb , never heard of this .. drool worthy:)

Cham said...

Well know sweet, u made it beautifully!

notyet100 said...

lovely clicks,..baklava is new for me,..

CurryLeaf said...

Yum Yum Yum Looks great.I have made it with puff pastry not with phyllo .Looks great.It surely is a lenghty job but truly worthy

Nandinis food said...

This tempts me! Can't contol myself from drooling! It's gobbleworthy!

my kitchen said...

i want to take a piece,Mouthwatering recipe and nice photos.do visit my blog when u find time.

Yasmeen said...

Fantastic!the baklava looks absolutely delish:)