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Apple Pistachio Baklava

Source: TheWMURChannel

Chef- Vicky Connell of Southern NH University

1 cup walnuts
1/3 cup pistachios
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
Vegetable oil or butter flavored cooking spray
2 Granny Smith Apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1 pound phyllo dough (about 20-25 sheets) thawed in refrigerator overnight
1 1/2 cups water
3/4 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cinnamon stick
juice and rind of 1/4 lemon (rind should be scored off lemon in thin strips using a channel knife)
1/2 cup honey

Yields: 36 small pieces

In  food processor, finely chop nuts along with 3 tablespoons sugar, ground cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.

Coat a sauté pan with oil or butter flavored pan spray. Over medium-high heat, saute sliced apples just until slightly softened.

Unpack phyllo dough and place on a clean dry surface. Cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap to protect from air. Keep dough covered while you are working with it.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a 13x9x2- inch baking sheet with a sheet of phyllo, trimming to fit pan if needed. Brush with oil, or spray with pan spray. Repeat with 9 more sheets of dough, brushing each with oil as you build the baklava.

Arrange 1/3 of apples and 1/3 of nut mixture on the top sheet of phyllo, covering the entire sheet evenly. Lay another sheet of phyllo over the filling, and brush with oil. Repeat. Arrange another 1/3 of the apples and 1/3 of the nuts on the phyllo, spreading to cover the entire surface evenly. Cover with two more sheets of phyllo, oiling each as before. Top with the final 1/3 apples and 1/3 nut mixture. Add 6-10 more layers of phyllo dough, oiling each sheet as you go, to cover the filling. You will have 10 sheets of phyllo, each oiled, then 1/3 filling, 2 sheets, 1/3 filling, 2 sheets, 1/3 filling, and 6-10 sheets when finished.

Refrigerate the baklava 15 minutes, and then remove from refrigerator. Cut the pastry into 3 x 6, creating 18 squares. Cut each square into 2 triangles, to create 36 triangle shaped portions. Bake 55-60 minutes, or until evenly golden brown.

In the meantime, combine all remaining ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a slow, rolling boil, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat; remove cinnamon stick and lemon rind.

When baklava is done baking, remove from oven, and pour the warm syrup over the pastry, distributing evenly.

Let baklava sit 8 hours or overnight at room temperature. Baklava is then ready to serve.