Baklava

Ingredients

• 30 Phyllo sheets thawed
• 2 cups Unsalted margarine melted
• 1/2 pound Walnuts crushed (For filling)
• 1/2 pound Blanched Whole Almonds crushed
• 2 tbsp Sugar
• 2 tbsp Cinnamon
• 2 tbsp Melba Toast powdered
• 3 cups Sugar (For the syrup)
• 1 cup Honey
• 5-6 Cloves
• 1 Cinnamon Stick
• 1 medium Lemon peel
• Walnuts for garnish
• Almond Flakes crushed, for garnish
• medium sized deep baking pan

Directions

We start by combining together in a large bowl all ingredients listed for the filling.

Preheat the oven at 300 degrees F.

Brush the baking pan with margarine and lay 1 phyllo sheet, to cover the bottom, allowing it to exceed over the pan. Continue with 9 more phyllo sheets. Each time we lay a phyllo sheet we brush it with margarine.

We will now start to assemble the baklava: We are going to make 20 layers consisting of the walnuts/almonds mixture and phyllo sheet, alternating each. We are going to use a total of 10 phyllo sheets. Each time we lay a phyllo sheet, remember to brush it with margarine and allow it to exceed over the pan.

Fold inwards the exceeding phyllo sheets and brush with margarine. Lay on top the remaining 10 phyllo sheets, each brushed with margarine. Using a margarine coated brush, tuck exceeding phyllo inwards and cut the baklava into pieces. Sprinkle its surface with water and bake in the preheated oven for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, until golden brown.

In the meantime we prepare the syrup: put in a medium large saucepan the sugar, water, cloves, cinnamon stick and lemon peel and simmer for about 10-15 minutes. Then add the honey and continue simmering while stirring, for 2-3 more minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and take out the cloves, cinnamon stick and lemon peel.

Remove the pan from the oven and pour over the lukewarm syrup. Allow to absorb and cool off for 1 hour.

Serve the baklava garnished with crushed walnuts and almond flakes.