Fistikli Baklava

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 180 C conventional / 170 C fan. Unroll the phyllo pastry and keep it covered with a barely damp towel so it does not dry out while you work. Finely grind the pistachios to a sandy texture; do not process to a paste, or the layers will become heavy.

2. 2

   Make the syrup first so it can cool before the hot baklava is baked. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water, bring to a boil over medium heat, and stir only until the sugar dissolves. Add the lemon juice, simmer for 5 minutes until lightly syrupy but still thin, then remove from the heat and cool completely.

3. 3

   Melt the clarified butter if needed. Brush a small baking tin, about 15 x 20 cm, with a little butter. Trim the phyllo sheets to fit the tin exactly; neat edges help the layers rise evenly and cut cleanly.

4. 4

   Lay in 8 sheets of phyllo, brushing each sheet lightly with clarified butter before adding the next. Use enough butter to moisten the surface without soaking it; too much fat will compress the layers instead of crisping them.

5. 5

   Sprinkle over half of the ground pistachios in an even, thin layer right to the corners. Add 4 more sheets of phyllo, again brushing each lightly with clarified butter.

6. 6

   Spread the remaining pistachios evenly over the second layer. Finish with the remaining phyllo sheets, brushing each sheet with clarified butter, and brush the top generously so it bakes deeply golden.

7. 7

   Using a very sharp knife, cut the unbaked baklava all the way through into 8 small diamonds or rectangles. This is essential: if you wait until after baking, the delicate top layers will shatter. Pour any remaining clarified butter evenly over the cut lines and surface.

8. 8

   Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the top is deep golden brown and the edges are visibly crisp. Rotate the tray once after about 20 minutes for even colouring. If the top browns too fast before the centre is crisp, lower the oven slightly.

9. 9

   As soon as the baklava comes out of the oven, slowly spoon the cooled syrup over the hot pastry, aiming into the cut lines and across the whole surface. You should hear an immediate sizzle. Let it rest for 15 minutes so the syrup is absorbed but the top stays crisp.

10. 10

    Re-cut along the lines if needed and serve slightly warm or at room temperature. For the best Antep-style texture, the base should be syrupy and rich while the top layers remain flaky and glass-crisp.

Nutrition per serving

Notes

• •Using clarified butter rather than regular butter gives a cleaner flavour and crisper finish because the milk solids do not burn.
• •Freeze the phyllo for 10 minutes before trimming if it is very soft; slightly chilled sheets are easier to cut neatly.
• •Do not make a heavy syrup for this style; a light syrup keeps the pistachio flavour bright and prevents the pastry from becoming stodgy.
• •A metal tin gives the best bottom crispness.

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