Baklava image by Isabelle Hurbain-Palatin

Every week we will be adding the recipe of an all time Greek favorite, so, stay tuned!

This week: Baklava!!

There is nothing like a hearty dessert to finish off a great meal!

Greek cuisine is not only known for its delicious meals, but also for its mouthwatering sweets.

Baklava, a honey, flaky, crisp, tender dessert that it isn’t overly sweet, is a favorite among the locals on Kos Island.

This dessert is usually served during major celebrations, Christmas, New Year or even at engagements. It is so popular that it is staple in our buffet, at least once a week!

With a lemon zest tang to it that offsets the sweetness, and with a dash of cinnamon, this will become your favorite Greek sweet.

It may be a bit tedious to make, but when you feel nostalgic for the Greek sun or the delicious Caravia Beach Hotel food, whip up a dish and see those blues just vanish with every spoon full

Can be made several days in advance and keeps beautifully at room temperature for at least a week.

• 40 sheets of filo pastry
• 500 g butter, glass jar butter is preferable
• 300 g pistachio nuts (from Aegina) * you can also susubstitute these with equal amount of finely chopped walnuts, that you have mixed with a tsp of cinnamon

Ingredients for the syrup:

• 650 g sugar
• 400 g water
• 80 g glucose syrup

How to do it:

1. Melt the butter just enough so that it doesn’t brown.
2. Blend the pistachios in the blender until they are resemble powder (if they are coarsely blended the baklava filo sheets will not stick together).
   

   Baklava in the making 1

3. Line an deep lasagna baking tray of 30×45 cm with butter (you can also use a baking tray in the dimensions that you have but just make sure that it is relatively large) and spread out the filo sheets one by one, buttering each one, and adding a couple of spoon full’s of the nut mixture; continue the process until you have used up all the filo sheets.
4. Place the baking tray into the fridge to cool so you can cut the pieces.
5. Cut into small square pieces, diagonally [see pic 2], sprinkle with a little water so that they rise while baking and bake in a slow oven at 130-140^ο
   

   Baklava in the making 2

   C for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

6. Remove from the oven and pour the syrup over it, while it is hot.
7. To make the syrup, boil the sugar, water and glucose syrup for 3 minutes (count 3 minutes from the moment it starts to boil).