Amounts are really only approximate because the quantities of ingredients depend on the size of your pan and your personal preference.
Defrost THOROUGHLY 1 to 1-1/2 pounds of phyllo pastry. (I'm presuming that I don't have to tell you how to handle it to keep it from drying out.)
Melt 1/4 cup (or more) of butter or margarine (the margarine is a concession to kosher cooks who want to serve it after a meat meal; butter tastes a lot better--but it must be UNSALTED).
With a pastry brush, grease a cake pan (doesn't matter what size -- 8" x 8" is a good size to start with, or 9" x 13" if you're expecting a crowd) with melted butter. Then work quickly. Layer pastry and lightly brush with butter each layer. (You don't have to cover every square millimeter, just get a good smear on each layer.)
When you've used up half the pastry, sprinkle with lots of finely chopped pistachios/almonds/walnuts/whatever nuts you fancy. Usually 1/2 to 3/4 cup is plenty. This isn't meant to be a nut torte.
Then keep on layering and brushing butter until you've used up all the pastry.
IMPORTANT: Cut it into diamonds BEFORE you bake it. You need a very sharp knife to do this. Also, cut it into small diamonds, no bigger than 1-1/2" or so. Restaurants tend to serve enormous slices, like regular cake-size, and that's rather overwhelming, not to mention insulin-shock-inducing. With all that butter and sugar, it's quite a rich dessert, absolutely lovely with fresh espresso.
Pop it into a preheated moderate oven (about 350°F?) and bake until it is puffy and golden, about half an hour (YMMV).
In the meantime, make a syrup with equal parts sugar and water (say 3/4 cup of each) and cook till it's a light syrup. Remember that it will thicken as it cools, so you don't want it too thick to begin with. When it's the right consistency (coats a spoon), sprinkle in a few drops of orange-water or rosewater. Remember that rosewater is stronger than orange-water, and you don't need as much of it. Also, it reminds some people of Jurgens hand lotion, so you may prefer to use orange-water. Then stick it in the fridge. Yes, the fridge.
When the baklava is baked, take it out and pour the cooled syrup over it (the pastry should still be hot). It's divine if you eat it shortly afterwards. It also keeps well for several days at room temp or up to a week in the fridge. On no account must you serve it chilled, or your guests will never get their teeth out of it. Cold baklava is chewy, sticky, and you can't appreciate the flavours.
Enjoy! Hmmm. I think I'll make some if we have guests this shabbat. It's so easy and it's unusual enough (a lot of people I know just buy packaged cakes instead of baking) that it's a real treat. BTW, considering that a 1/2 to 3/4 cup of nuts will make enough baklava to feed a herd (cut the diamonds SMALL!), it's also considered an economical dessert in this part of the world.
Avital
(1/9/01)
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