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I’ll admit, I was pretty intimidated when I tried my hand at making baklava for the first time. It seemed like so many steps and the phyllo dough was fragile and I just felt like I was in over my head. Yet, by the time I popped it in the oven, I was starting to think it really wasn’t that complicated. And by the time I was enjoying my first piece, I had decided it was 100 percent worth the effort. If you’ve never made baklava before then this Pistachio Baklava is an excellent recipe to start with. We’ll walk you through every step of the process!
There are many different versions of baklava as this dish has roots that date back to before the Ottoman Empire. It’s popular at Greek restaurants and Gyro shops in the United States, but middle eastern countries are just as famous for their take on this sweet and nutty treat. Many different nuts can be used to make baklava but the Greek versions usually stick to walnuts while the middle eastern countries go with pistachios. If this is your first time trying it with pistachios then you are in for a real treat!
If you’d like to lean into the middle eastern flavors, add a bit of rose water to the syrup. Rose is a very popular addition to many desserts from the region and compliments the pistachios beautifully. Add some flare to your next dinner party and give this Pistachio Baklava a try. You won’t be disappointed!
Pistachio Baklava
Ingredients
- 1 (1 lb) box pylon dough, thawed
- 1 cup butter, melted
- Additional pistachios for garnish
Syrup
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 1 ½ cups water
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Optional: 1 tablespoon rose water
Filling
- 1 lb raw unsalted pistachios
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
Preparation
- To make the syrup: add water and sugar to a small saucepan and stir to combine. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat and continue boiling for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add lemon juice and rose water. Boil for 1-2 more minutes, then remove from heat. Allow syrup to fully cool.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- To make the filling: add pistachios, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar to food processor and pulse a few times, don’t over process.
- To assemble: Brush a 9x14-inch jelly roll sheet pan with melted butter. Unroll phyllo dough and place one sheet in the bottom of the pan and brush top with butter. Repeat with 9 more sheets of dough, brushing butter between each sheet.
- Add ⅓ of the filling and spread into an even layer. Add five more sheets of dough, brushing butter between each sheet.
- Add another 1/3 of the filling, followed by 5 more buttered sheets. Add the remaining filling and place one sheet on top. Press down firmly before buttering to compress.
- Add 9 more buttered sheets and press down firmly again before buttering the last sheet.
- Use a sharp knife to cut dough into diamonds (cutting after the baklava bakes will be very difficult).
- Bake for 40-44 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove from oven and carefully pour the cooled syrup evenly over the top. Sprinkle top with additional chopped pistachios if desired.
- Allow baklava to sit for a minimum of 2-3 hours before serving.
Recipe adapted from Cookinwithmima.com