Lemon Pistachio Baklava Food

PISTACHIO BAKLAVA

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse the pistachios until coarsely ground (or you can chop them by hand until very finely chopped). Don't overprocess the nuts. You want to maintain some texture.
• Clarify the butter by melting it over low heat, then letting it cook until the foam rises to the top and the milk solids fall to the bottom of the pan. This will take about 5 to 15 minutes depending upon how high your heat is, but don't rush it or the butter could burn.
• Skim foam off the top of the melted butter. Line a fine-mesh sieve with a piece of cheesecloth, place it over a bowl and pour the melted butter through.
• Heat oven to 400 degrees and brush the inside of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with a little of the clarified butter.
• Prepare the phyllo dough by trimming the stack of it with scissors to fit the bottom of your baking dish. Packages of phyllo come in different sizes; some won't need any trimming, some may need an inch or two cut off a side, and some may need to be cut in half crosswise. Cover phyllo layers with a lightly damp kitchen towel, and keep covered.
• Place 1 piece of phyllo on the bottom of the baking pan; brush lightly with clarified butter. Layer phyllo sheets on top, brushing each sheet with butter as you go, until half the phyllo is used.
• Spread pistachios on phyllo in an even layer, then layer with remaining phyllo, brushing each sheet with butter as you go (rewarm butter if necessary).
• Cut the pastry into 36 pieces, using clean up-and-down strokes and rotating the pan if necessary. Make sure to cut all the way through to bottom of pan. Pour any remaining butter evenly over pan.
• Bake baklava until the top is golden brown, and the lower phyllo layers beneath the pistachios are thoroughly baked through. To test this, use a knife to lift up a corner of one of the pastry rectangles from the center of the pan so you can peek at the bottom layers. Start checking after 40 minutes, but it could take an hour or even 1 hour 10 minutes. If the top starts to get too brown before the pastry is cooked through, lay a piece of foil over the top.
• Meanwhile, prepare sugar syrup: In a medium pot, combine sugar with 1 2/3 cups/400 milliliters water. Bring to a boil, then let simmer for 10 minutes, until slightly thickened. Stir in lemon juice.
• When the baklava is baked through, reheat the syrup until it comes to a simmer. Remove pan from oven and place in the sink or on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips of syrup. Slowly pour hot sugar syrup over the pastry; it will bubble up and some may overflow. When the syrup stops bubbling, move pan to wire rack to cool completely. Serve at room temperature.

PISTACHIO BAKLAVA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small saucepan, combine honey, sugar, 1/3 cup water, lemon zest, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Remove syrup from heat; set aside.
• Butter bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking dish. Cut two 8-by-13-inch sheets of parchment paper; line bottom and sides of dish, overlapping sheets in a crisscross pattern, leaving an overhang.
• Unroll phyllo sheets on a flat surface; lift the top half, and carefully roll into a tight tube. Using a sharp knife, cut crosswise to make 1-inch-wide ribbons. Roll remaining phyllo sheets, and store, tightly wrapped in plastic, in refrigerator up to a week.
• In a large bowl, unroll and loosen phyllo ribbons. Using your hands, gently toss with butter and all but 2 tablespoons pistachios; press firmly into prepared baking dish. Bake until lightly browned, about 45 minutes.
• Remove zest and cinnamon stick from syrup; discard. Reheat syrup over medium heat; pour over the hot pastry. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons pistachios; let cool completely.
• Using paper overhang, lift baklava onto a cutting board. Remove paper. With a sharp knife, gently cut into 8 triangles; transfer to a serving dish. Serve with orange slices, if desired.

PISTACHIO BAKLAVA

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking pan . In a bowl, combine pistachio nuts and 1/2 cup of the ghee.
• Take 8 sheets of phyllo dough and layer them in the greased pan, brushing each sheet with melted butter as you go.
• Spread about half of the nut mixture over phyllo dough.
• Cover with 6 sheets of dough, brushing each with ghee as you layer.
• Add remaining nut mixture and top with remaining sheets of phyllo dough, brushing each sheet with ghee.
• Using a knife, cut baklava into 1 1/2-inch diamonds.
• Bake for 50 minutes or until golden brown on top.
• While baklava bakes, combine sugar, honey, cinnamon, and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, making sure that sugar is completely dissolved.
• Reduce heat and allow the mixture to simmer for 5 minutes. Allow syrup to come down to room temperature before using.
• When baklava is done, take it out of the oven and allow it to cool.
• Once syrup is tepid, drizzle it on top of baklava. Let baklava rest for 6 to 8 hours so it soaks up syrup and flavors develop further.

PISTACHIO BAKLAVA TARTLETS

Steps:

• Melt 5 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Place 15 mini phyllo shells on a baking sheet and brush with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter. Bake at 350 degrees F until just golden, 10 minutes. Meanwhile, add 1/4 cup chopped pistachios, 1/4 cup each honey and sugar, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest, 1/4 teaspoon allspice and a pinch of salt to the butter in the skillet; cook, stirring until thick, 5 minutes. Divide among the shells and sprinkle with grated chocolate. Let cool.

WALNUT AND PISTACHIO BAKLAVA

Steps:

• For syrup:
• Combine all ingredients and 1 cup water in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium and boil until syrup is reduced to generous 2 cups, about 15 minutes. Transfer to bowl and cool completely. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
• For baklava:
• Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 350°F. Spread walnuts on large rimmed baking sheet. Spread pistachios on another large rimmed baking sheet. Place nuts in oven and toast 5 minutes. Cool nuts. Transfer nuts to processor. Add 3/4 cup sugar, lemon peel, and ground cinnamon. Using on/off turns, blend until nuts are ground to medium-fine texture. Transfer nut mixture to large bowl; mix in dried apples.
• Place phyllo sheet stack on work surface; cover with sheet of plastic wrap, then damp kitchen towel. Brush 13 x 9 x 2-inch metal baking pan with some melted butter. Arrange 1 phyllo sheet in pan with half of phyllo sheet hanging over 1 long side. Brush phyllo in pan with some melted butter. Fold overhang over to make two 12 x 8 1/2-inch layers. Brush with some melted butter. Repeat stacking and buttering with 4 more phyllo sheets, making 10 layers total. Spread 1/3 of nut mixture (generous 2 cups) over phyllo in pan to within 1/2 inch of edge. Repeat layering 2 more times with 5 phyllo sheets and 1/3 of remaining nut mixture each time. Top with 5 more folded phyllo sheets. Using sharp knife, cut through top phyllo layers lengthwise (do not cut through to bottom of pan) to make 4 strips, then cut phyllo crosswise to make 16 rectangles. Bake until phyllo is golden, about 45 minutes.
• Gradually spoon cold syrup over hot baklava. Cool to room temperature. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; let stand at room temperature.
• Cut each baklava rectangle crosswise in half for total of 32 pieces. Transfer baklava to platter and serve.

HONEY PISTACHIO BAKLAVA

Steps:

• Make sure the filo pastry is thawed - keep wrapped to prevent drying out.
• Preheat the oven to 170 C / 340 F
• Melt butter and cool to room temperature
• In a saucepan - combine sugar, honey, lemon juice, lemon zest, cinnamon stick, rose water, and water.
• Boil on medium-low until sugar is dissolved.
• Once all the sugar is dissolved - let simmer on low for 5 minutes.
• Sieve through a strainer to remove zest and cinnamon stick.
• Set aside to cool completely
• Pulse the pistachio nuts in a food processor.
• Remove some while still coarse and pulse the remainig some more for a finer consistency. This will add a nice texture and taste.
• Add sugar and combine well. Set aside
• Use an 8 x 10 rectangular pan or 10 x 10-inch square pan
• Lightly brush with melted butter.
• Cut the stack of filo into 4. Now you have 12 filo sheets. Measure the filo to your pan and cut off any excess.
• Place the first sheet of filo in the pan.
• Lightly brush with melted butter.
• Continue to add 5 sheets - lightly brushing with melted butter
• Sprinkle 1/4 of the pistachio mixture
• Now add 3 layers of filo lightly brush each with melted butter
• Followed by another 1/4 of the pistachio mixture.
• Continue layering 3 filo and pistachio - until you have used up all the pistachio mixture
• Finally, add the last 5 layers of filo for the top
• So you should have 5 filo sheets + nuts then 3 filo sheets + nuts, then 3 filo sheets + nuts again 3 filo sheets + nuts and final 5 filo sheets. (this doesn't have to be exact)
• Brush the last and top of the filo with any remaining melted butter - this will give a nice golden top.
• Using a sharp knife cut the layers into squares.
• I prefer to cut a line in the middle in both directions and then cut more on either side of those lines
• Place the baklava in the preheated oven and bake until golden for about 30 minutes
• Once the baklava has been baked let cool in the pan for 5 minutes
• Then pour the prepared cooled sugar/honey syrup evenly over the top
• This will soak into the layers while the baklava is cooling.
• This baklava will stay at room temperature for up to a week
• I personally don't like to keep in the fridge as the butter cools making it dry.
• You can freeze baklava for up to a month. Thaw in the fridge overnight then on the countertop before you serve.

PISTACHIO, ALMOND, LEMON & ROSE BAKLAVA

Steps:

• Mix the ground almonds and chopped pistachios in a bowl, reserving 3 tbsp of the pistachios to garnish. Stir in the finely grated lemon zest, the 3 tbsp of sugar and 5 tbsp of the melted butter. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Brush the inside of a roasting or baking tin (30 x 20cm) with the butter.
• Whatever size of filo sheets you have, cut them to fit the tin. Lay one sheet of filo in it, butter it, and keep going until you have 6 sheets of filo. Spoon the nut mixture on top and press down with the back of a spoon, like making a biscuit base, then put 8 filo sheets on the top, again buttering each one. Using a sharp knife, cut a diamond trellis on top, then bake in the oven for 1 hr until golden brown.
• Make the syrup by putting the sugar, lemon juice and strips of zest into a saucepan with 250ml water. Bring to a boil, stirring to help the sugar dissolve, then turn the heat down a little and simmer for 10 mins. The mixture will look quite syrupy. Remove the lemon zest and add the rosewater to taste.
• While the baklava and the syrup are still warm, pour the syrup carefully over the pastry. Return the baklava to the oven for 5 more mins.
• Sprinkle the remaining pistachios over the baklava, then leave to cool overnight - so that the baklava can absorb all the syrup. If you're making this for a special occasion, it's nice to scatter over some torn rose petals (they have to be small pieces) just before serving.

PISTACHIO WALNUT BAKLAVA

Steps:

• In a food processor, combine pistachios, walnuts, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Pulse until it has a coarse but ground texture. Place a sheet of phyllo dough in your pan and lightly dab with melted butter using a basting brush. Add another layer of phyllo dough. Once you have about 4 layers, sprinkle over a small amount of the nut mixture, play another two layers of dough with butter in between.
• Continue adding a few layer of dough, nut mixture, and light butter in between, saving about 4 layer of dough for the top.
• Once finished assembling, place in refrigerator for 30 minutes or freezer for 15 until cold (this allows you to cut through layers without messing up the dough). Now use a sharp knife to cut horizontal and then oblique parallel lines halfway through the dough, creating parallelogram shapes.
• Place baklava in a preheated 350 degree oven for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, prepare simple syrup by bringing all ingredients to a boil in a pot, stirring frequently, and then taking off the heat and letting it cool to room temp while the baklava cooks.
• When baklava is done, bring it out of the oven and immediately drizzle over simple syrup (you should hear it crackle when it hits the baklava). When cooled, cut through the rest of the way, top with some roughly-chopped pistachios, and serve room temp.

PISTACHIO BAKLAVA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300.
• Chop pistachios in food processor until finely chopped.
• Add walnuts, 2/3 cup sugar, and cinnamon and process until the texture of coarse meal, pulsing out any lumps. Set aside.
• Lightly fit 1 phyllo sheet in the bottom of a lightly greased 13x9 dish, trimming to fit if needed.
• Brush well with melted butter.
• Continue with 7 more sheets, brushing each sheet well with butter.
• If butter hardens, just microwave briefly to soften.
• Scatter a generous 1/3cup nut mixture over phyllo.
• Add 2 more sheets, brushing each well with butter.
• Add another 1/3 cup nut mixture and continue layering until all nut mixture is used, finishing with a layer of remaining phyllo, brushing each sheet with melted butter.
• Place baklava in freezer for 10 minutes for easier cutting.
• Slice in 2" wide diamond-shaped pattern. (or squares if that is easier).
• At this point it my abe wrapped with heavy duty aluminum foil and frozen if desired.
• Set baking dish on middle oven rack and place a shallow pan of water underneath.
• Bake for 2hrs and 10 minutes or until golden brown.
• Frozen baklava can be baked uncovered the same way for 2 and 1/2 - 3hrs. or until golden brown.
• Combine remaining 2/3 cups sugar, 2 cups water, honey and lemon juice in a large saucepan.
• Bring to boil over high heat, reduce to low and simmer uncovered 20 minutes.
• Pour into spouted measuring cup and cool to room temperature.
• Drizzle syrup evenly over baklava.
• Cool to room temperature, cover loosely with foil and let stand overnight before serving.

LEMON-PISTACHIO BAKLAVA

Steps:

• Combine all syrup ingredients in medium saucepan.
• Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
• Reduce heat to medium or medium-low; gently boil 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.
• Cool.
• (Syrup will thicken as it cools.) Place half of the pistachios in food processor; process until finely chopped.
• Repeat with remaining pistachios.
• In medium bowl, combine all filling ingredients.
• Heat butter in microwave-safe measuring cup in microwave on high 40 to 60 seconds or until melted; skim and discard foam off top.
• Pour clear butter into small cup; discard remaining milky substance at bottom.
• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Butter 13x9-inch baking pan.
• Unroll phyllo onto cutting board; cut to 13x9 inches.
• Discard excess phyllo, or reserve for another use.
• Cover phyllo with large dry towel.
• Lay 1 phyllo sheet in bottom of pan; brush with butter.
• Repeat, using 12 phyllo sheets.
• Evenly sprinkle filling over phyllo.
• Top with remaining 12 phyllo sheets, brushing each layer with butter.
• Cut baklava crosswise into 1 1/2-inch strips, cutting all the way to bottom.
• Cut diagonally to create diamond shapes, or cut into squares.
• Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until slightly puffed and light golden brown.
• Place on wire rack; immediately pour cooled syrup over baklava.
• Cool completely.
• TIP*Look for shelled pistachios that are not roasted and salted; they will have a brighter green color.