Classic Baklava with Pistachios and Cardamom

However you say it, Baklava is delicious! Before making this recipe I had never tried this Greek pastry, so I wasn't sure if I was going to like it or not. Baklava is made with flaky phyllo dough, layered with a mix of pistachios and spices. I did some research on the best frozen phyllo dough and decided to track down the Athena brand (I finally found it at the East Village Albertsons). The phyllo defrosted in the fridge overnight before I started to assemble the Baklava. While the phyllo came to room temperature, I made the nut mix by blending pistachios, sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom in the food processor. To start the Baklava, I brushed a thin layer of butter in the bottom of my 9x13" pan and placed the first sheet of phyllo on top. I brushed the phyllo with melted butter and topped with another sheet of phyllo--repeating this until I had a stack of 10 sheets. I sprinkled half of the nut mixture on top and then proceeded to layer/butter another 10 sheets of phyllo, repeating the process until I had forty sheets of phyllo dough and three layers of the nut mixture. I let the Baklava chill in the freezer for 30 minutes while the oven preheated to 350 degrees. I scored the Baklava into 2" diamonds and baked for 40 minutes. When the Baklava came out of the oven, I topped it with orange blossom water infused simple syrup and let it cool overnight. The finished Baklava was flaky, crispy, chewy, and very flavorful. Overall, I really enjoyed the flavors, but it was a little too sweet for me (lucky for me, Ryan seemed to enjoy it and had no problem finishing it!).

On deck: Roasted Apple Strudel with Cranberries and Raisins