Baklava

Baklava

6 cups chopped pecans

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter (3 sticks), melted, cooled slightly

1 pound frozen phyllo, thawed (approx. 28 sheets, 9x14 inches each)

Syrup

1 cup honey

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup water

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

2 to 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon salt

Grind pecans coarsely in a food processor, if needed, and place in a mixing bowl. Mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and salt well, add to the pecans, and mix well again.

Set up your work area with the bowl of nut mix, the melted butter, a pastry brush, and a 17x11-inch rimmed baking sheet. Unfold the package of phyllo and place it next to the baking sheet.

Brush the baking sheet with butter.

Lay 2 sheets of phyllo in the baking sheet, and brush the top sheet with melted butter. Do this 3 more times, 2 sheets of phyllo at a time, buttering the top sheet, for a total of 8 sheets of phyllo. Sprinkle about 1 1/2 cups of nut mixture evenly on the pastry. Cover the nuts with 2 sheets of phyllo, buttering the top sheet, and repeat for a total of 4 sheets. Sprinkle about 1 1/2 cups nut mixture. Repeat with 4 more sheets of phyllo, two at a time, buttering the top sheets as before; top with 1 1/2 cups of nut mixture. Repeat with 4 sheets of phyllo, two at a time, buttering the top sheet. Sprinkle with the remaining nut mixture. Top with the rest of the phyllo, two sheets at a time buttering the top sheet each time. The baklava will have 4 layers of nut mixture and 5 layers of phyllo. The final layer of phyllo will be about 8 sheets. Butter the top sheet of phyllo generously.

With a sharp knife cut into diamonds. There will be some triangles around the edges. Cut down but not all the way through the bottom layer.

Bake 60 minutes at 300F. Check every 15 minutes or so to make sure it is not browning too quickly. It is done when phyllo is golden and crisp.

While baklava bakes, make the syrup. Put the honey, sugar, water, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and salt in a saucepan. Add the lemon juice but do not overdo it; add in 1/2 teaspoon increments until you have the desired taste. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 to 25 minutes until the syrup has thickened. Be careful to not let the syrup boil over.

When you take the baklava from the oven, set it aside to cool for about 20 minutes. then pour the hot syrup over the whole baklava, and cut along the scored lines all the way through to the bottom layer so the syrup will run down to all the layers. Serve at room temperature.

Adapted from book Moosewood Restaurant Favorites