Me and My Baklava

(A note from Theo: this is my dad’s recipe, as written and titled by him.)

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Syrop –

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup honey
• 1 tsp vanilla
• A cinnamon stick
• Zest of one lemon or orange

Make the syrup first, it needs to be room temperature when the baklava comes out of the oven,

Put all the ingredients in a medium pan and bring it to boil. Lower the heat and let it cook for 5-8 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it cool.

Baklava –

• 1 lb. phyllo dough. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight.
• 1 lb. walnuts.
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 and ½ sticks of butter melted.

Chop the nuts in a food processer but not too fine. Transfer them in a bowl and add the cinnamon and then stir the mixture.

Melt the butter and set it aside. Butter a 9x14 glass pan and take the phyllo dough out of the package.

And now for the fun part. Start layering the dough and nuts.

Put 7 layers of phyllo on the bottom buttering each one.

Spread some nut mix evenly.

Add 3 layers of phyllo again buttering each one.

Set 6-7 phyllo sheets aside for the top

Repeat the nut layer and 3 phyllo layers until all the dough and mix is done. Again, butter each layer.

Add the last phyllo layers.

Put the finished baklava in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375.

Take the baklava out of the refrigerator and cut it. You need to cut it before baking.

Bake for 40-45 minutes or more if you like it very crispy.

As soon as it comes out of the oven spoon the syrup over it. If the syrup is hot the baklava will be very mushy.

Let it cool and enjoy.