Middle Eastern Phyllo Nut Pastry (Printable)

Crispy buttered phyllo layers with mixed nuts and aromatic honey syrup

# What you'll need:

→ Pastry and Filling

01 - 18-20 sheets phyllo dough (about 14 oz)
02 - 2 sticks unsalted butter, melted (1 cup)
03 - 1 ¾ cups walnuts, finely chopped (about 7 oz)
04 - ¾ cup pistachios, finely chopped (about 3.5 oz)
05 - ⅔ cup almonds, finely chopped (about 3 oz)
06 - ⅓ cup granulated sugar
07 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

→ Syrup

08 - 1 cup water
09 - 1 ⅓ cups sugar
10 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
11 - 2 tablespoons honey
12 - 1 cinnamon stick
13 - 1 strip orange peel (optional)

# How to make it:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with melted butter.
02 - Combine walnuts, pistachios, almonds, sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl. Mix well.
03 - Unroll phyllo dough and cover with a damp towel to prevent drying while working.
04 - Place 8 sheets of phyllo in the dish, brushing each sheet generously with melted butter before adding the next.
05 - Spread about one-third of the nut mixture evenly over the phyllo.
06 - Add 4 more sheets of phyllo, brushing each with butter. Spread half of remaining nuts on top.
07 - Add 4 more phyllo sheets, buttering each one. Sprinkle remaining nut mixture evenly.
08 - Layer remaining phyllo sheets on top, brushing each sheet with butter as you work.
09 - Using a sharp knife, cut the baklava into diamonds or squares before baking.
10 - Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown and crisp.
11 - While baking, combine water, sugar, lemon juice, honey, cinnamon stick, and orange peel in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Remove cinnamon and peel; let cool slightly.
12 - Immediately pour hot syrup over baklava when removed from oven. Let cool completely to absorb syrup before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The contrast between shatteringly crisp layers and syrup soaked middles creates something magical in every bite
  • Once you master the phyllo handling, you'll feel like you've unlocked a treasured secret
  • This recipe scales beautifully for gatherings, yet leftovers somehow taste even better the next day
02 -
  • Cutting the baklava before baking ensures clean lines, as cutting through crisp baked pastry creates messy shards
  • The syrup must be warm, not boiling hot, when poured over hot baklava, or the pastry will become soggy instead of perfectly sticky
  • Baklava needs at least two hours to cool completely, giving the syrup time to saturate every layer
03 -
  • Clear your workspace completely before starting, as phyllo demands your full attention
  • Use a pastry brush with natural bristles for better butter distribution
  • Warm your knife in hot water before cutting the baked baklava for cleaner slices

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