Traditional Greek Baklava
500 grams phyllo pastry (12 – 15 sheets)
300 grams coarsely chopped walnuts (1 1/2 cups)
200 grams fine dry bread crumbs (1/4 cup)
250 grams fresh melted butter (not margarine)
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
10 whole cloves for decoration
Syrup:
2 cups water
4 cups sugar
1 small lemon, juice
Mix the walnuts, bread crumbs and cinnamon. Butter the baking pan including the sides. Place 5 sheets of the phyllo on the bottom 1 by 1, buttering each individually. Cover the remaining phyllo sheets with a slightly damp kitchen towel so they don’t dry out.
Spread 1/2 the nut filling over all the pastry. Cover the filling with another 3 sheets of phyllo pastry again buttering each as you place it. Spoon on the remaining 1/2 of the nut mixture and place another 5 sheets of phyllo pastry on again buttering each as you place them. Pat the top pastry on top and cut away any excess around the edges with a very sharp knife.
Cut the Baklava into triangle servings. Place a clove on every third piece. Bake the Baklava at 350º for 1 hour or until the pastry is golden.
Prepare the syrup by boiling the water, sugar and juice in a saucepan stirring with a whisk for about 10 minutes, then let the syrup cool. Pour the syrup onto the Baklava. When the Baklava absorbs the syrup the top layer will remain crispy.
