Traditional Greek Baklava
By OcadoLife
Published on 16 January 2022
This Middle Eastern delicacy is full of crunchy nuts and drenched in sweet, nectar-like honey.Time and servings
1 hr 10 minsTotal time
1 hr 10 minsCooking time
Ingredients
- 270 g of rolled filo pastry sheets
- 300 g of mixed nuts
- 6 tbsp of runny honey
Method
Step 1
Preheat over to 160°C/140°C fan/gas 3, and grease a square baking tray or dish (25cm x 25cm) with a little butter of oil.Step 2
Use a sharp knife to cut the filo into sheets exactly the same size as the base of the dish. You'll need at least nine. Lay them flat on a table on top of one another, covered with a damp tea towel so they don't crisp up and dry out. Keep and refreeze any offcuts.Step 3
Chop the nuts into coarse chunks.Step 4
Now it's time to assemble your baklava. Start with two sheets of filo, then scatter around a quarter of the nuts on top. Sprinkle a little cold water over the top to dampen the pastry and help it all stick together.Step 5
Repeat three times, giving you four identical layers, or keep going until all the nuts and pastry - except one sheet - are used up. Lay this final, single sheet over the top.Step 6
Before it goes in the oven, use a sharp knife to cut the baklava. I do mine in four long rows, then slice these diagonally to make diamonds. Make sure you cut right down to the base of the pastry - it's fiddly, so take your time to avoid tearing the super-thin filo.Step 7
Bake the baklava for 50 minutes. You'll know it's ready when the top layer is crisp and brown.Step 8
Meanwhile, make the sticky topping. Put the honey in a saucepan and heat it gently for 5-10 minutes, until it melts and things out. When the baklava is baked, spoon or pour the honey over the top. Return it to the over for 10 minutes.