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The Bakery 100 · make it at home

Pistachio baklava

2 hr, 45 min hands-on · 30 pieces

Dozens of buttered sheets of filo, a thick layer of green pistachios, baked crisp and soaked with cool syrup.

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The real one

You need

• 450 g filo pastry (1 lb), thawed in the fridge
• 250 g clarified butter or ghee (1 cup + 2 tbsp), melted
• 350 g shelled unsalted pistachios (2 1/2 cups), finely chopped
• 2 tbsp sugar
• Syrup: 400 g sugar (2 cups)
• 300 ml water (1 1/4 cups)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Optional: 1 tsp rose or orange-blossom water

How to make it

1. Syrup first (10 min plus cooling): Boil sugar and water 8 minutes, add the lemon juice and simmer 2 minutes more. Cool completely (cold syrup on hot pastry keeps it crisp).
2. Nuts (2 min): Mix the pistachios with the 2 tbsp sugar. Keep 2 tbsp aside for the top.
3. Layer (25 min): Heat the oven to 170C (340F). Brush a 23 x 33 cm (9 x 13 in) pan with butter. Lay in 10 filo sheets, brushing each with butter (trim or fold to fit). Keep the rest under a damp towel.
4. Fill and top (10 min): Scatter the pistachios evenly. Top with the remaining sheets, buttering each one. Brush the top well.
5. Cut (5 min): With a sharp knife, cut all the way through into diamonds or squares before baking.
6. Bake (50 to 60 min): Bake until deep golden and crisp, 50 to 60 minutes.
7. Soak (4 hr): Pour the cold syrup over the hot baklava; it should sizzle. Scatter the saved pistachios. Leave uncovered at least 4 hours before eating.

Tips

• Clarified butter browns without burning and keeps the layers crisp.
• Don't cover baklava; it goes soft.

Chef Amazing's own home version of baklava, in our words; not any bakery's recipe.