From: offenberg@stars.gsfc.nasa.gov (JOEL D. OFFENBERG (301) 286-5801)
Subject: Re: REQUEST: Baklava
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.4-b1  
Keywords: Yummy
Organization: NASA/GSFC-Laboratory for Astronomy and Solar Physics
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1992 17:35:00 GMT

In article <1a81p0INNapa@male.EBay.Sun.COM>, sarahb@fanfare.EBay.Sun.COM writes...
>Hi,
> 
>Does anyone have any good recipes for Baklava,
>(other than going to the bakery down the street)?
> 
>Thanks,
> 
>Sarah
This has been fairly popular, although it isn't too formal (suit to your 
own taste).  This makes about 60 slices, which A LOT.  It'll keep in your 
fridge for quite some time, though.  (I've never had baklava last long 
enough to go stale...)

You'll need: phyllo dough
	     1 lb of unsalted margarine (melted).  (I use a non-dairy version,
						    by the way)
	     Filling: 1 1/4 lb walnuts
		      1/2 or so lb almonds
		      3/4 or so lb pistachios
	     Crush or chop the nuts finely (use a food processor, 
	     a blender or a hammer...I use the latter).
		      1 lb of sugar
		      1 or 2 Tbsp of cinnamon
		      1 Tbsp crushed cloves

	     Syrup    1 1/2 C water
		      1 C sugar
	     Mix and simmer over low heat.  Add (while heating)	
		      crushed cloves 
		      cinnamon
		      vanilla (Roughly a Tbsp of each)
		      1 C of honey
		      

Purchase phyllo (filo, philo, spell it how you will) dough.  This is 
available in the freezer section of many food stores throughout the US for 
about $3 a pound (Usually near the pie crusts).  DON'T try to _make_ this 
tissue-paper-thin dough unless you are really sure you want to do so.

 Take a 14x10 inch rectangular baking pan (or slightly larger).  Spread a 
layer of melted margarine along the bottom and edges of the pan.  Add a layer of
phyllo, and then spread another layer of butter on top of the dough.  

Repeat until you have four or five layers of dough with butter on top of each. 
Add 1/3 to 1/4 of the filling, spread evenly over the dough.  Then add another 
4 layers of dough with butter on top of each, another layer of filling, and so 
on until you have 3 or 4 layers of filling surrounded by 4 or 5 layers of dough.

Pour extra margarine on the top, and cut the top layer of dough into slices
(usually about 2 square inches cut diagonally, but that's up to you).  Bake at
350 for about half an hour, then at 300 for another half an hour.  Keep an eye
on it...turn it off when the top turns golden brown.  

When it cools, cut the slices but leave them in the pan, then pour hot syrup 
on top.  (Or, you can pour cool syrup over hot baklava.  One of them must be 
hot.)  Once the whole thing cools, remove from the baking pan and serve.

This recipe is rather sweet...almost _too_ sweet (if there is such a thing :).
The filling is my own creation, play with that as you wish.  Instead of a
whole compliated syrup, you can use plain honey (about 2 cups).  

One bit of advice: When you have the phyllo opened, the dough will dry quickly
unless you keep it covered with a damp towel (And I mean damp...too wet and the
dough will stick together).  You need to get into a rhythm.  Also, don't be 
too upset if the phyllo rips...it is going to.