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Make the filling: Simply mix the nuts, sugar, spices in a bowl and set aside Make the pastry: Melt the butter or margarine over low heat in a small saucepan and keep handy, with a pastry brush at hand.
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**Personally, I prefer to just skip this whole process and spray the sheets of dough with Pam instead.
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It works just as well.
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But if you want to do it upright the first time, read on.
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Remove the phyllo dough from its inner lining.
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Unfold it so it lies flat and keep it covered with a moistened kitchen towel while you work with the pastry.
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Dip your pastry brush in the butter/oil and coat the bottom and sides of a 10x15x1-inch jelly roll pan (or a 9x13x2-inch cake pan in a pinch -- the important thing is that it be deep enough to accept all the sugar syrup you're going to pour into it).
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Trim the sheets of phyllo so they fit the pan.
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(You'll probably have enough for another dish, such as wrapped chicken or spanakopita (8-9-inch).
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)Layer one sheet of phyllo in the pan, brush it with butter/oil or spray it, and cover it with another sheet.
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Repeat.
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After 5 sheets, sprinkle some of the nut mixture onto the sheets, covering them pretty completely.
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Repeat the above every 3 sheets of dough until you have no more nuts left, then top with 5 more sheets of dough.
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(Tip from personal experience: At least the first time, yes you gotta butter each sheet of phyllo.
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The pastry is very dry without it.
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That's why I like to use PAM instead) Don't forget to cover the remaining dough each time you retrieve a sheet of it from the pile.
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Score the pastry by cutting into diamond shapes with a sharp knife.
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The book says to cut only partway through, but I always cut all the way through.
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Bake at 350F for 1 hour.
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The pastry should be golden on top.
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While the baklava is in the oven, prepare the syrup: Combine the sugar, water, citrus peel and 1/2 cup honey in a medium saucepan.
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Slowly heat the mixture over medium heat, swirling the pan, until the sugar dissolves; then simmer, uncovered and undistrubed, until the mixture reaches 212F on acandy thermo- meter (about 10 minutes).
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Remove the syrup from the heat and now add the remaining honey and the lemon juice.
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Cool completely.
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To complete the pastry, when it is done take it from the oven and IMMEDIATELY pour the syrup over the top of the entire hot pan.
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If you can stand it, let the baklava sit for at least 4 hours or overnight.
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This recipe freezes; or you can store it at room temperature; or, you can bring it to my house and not worry about storage.
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:)
