Alright folks, gather ’round! Today, I’m spilling the beans on my recent kitchen adventure: tackling Persian Baklava. Let me tell you, it was a journey, but oh-so-worth it!
First off, I did my research. Scoured the internet, watched a bunch of videos. Baklava seemed intimidating, all those layers and the syrup, but I was determined. Found a recipe that seemed straightforward enough – famous last words, right?
So, I started gathering my ingredients. Phyllo dough – that stuff is delicate, lemme tell you. Walnuts, pistachios (because I’m fancy like that), butter (lots of butter!), sugar, lemon, rosewater… the whole shebang.
The nuts were the first hurdle. Chopped ’em up fine, mixed ’em with a little cinnamon and cardamom for that authentic Persian kick. Then came the phyllo. Man, that stuff dries out faster than you can blink. I kept it covered with a damp towel, but still, a few sheets cracked. Don’t sweat it, I told myself, just keep going!
Next, I started layering. Brushed the pan with melted butter, then laid down a sheet of phyllo, brushed with butter, another sheet, more butter… you get the idea. It’s a butter party in there! After about 8 layers, I spread half the nut mixture evenly. Then more phyllo, more butter, the rest of the nuts, and finally, more phyllo and butter. By this point, my hands were covered in butter and I was starting to feel like a baklava myself.
Here’s where things got a little tricky. The recipe said to score the baklava into diamond shapes BEFORE baking. Emphasis on BEFORE. I may or may not have forgotten this step and tried to cut it AFTER it came out of the oven. Let’s just say, it wasn’t pretty. Crumbs everywhere! Learn from my mistakes, people!
Into the oven it went. The smell was amazing, filling the whole house with nutty, buttery goodness. I baked it until it was golden brown and crispy. While it was baking, I made the syrup – sugar, water, lemon juice, and a splash of rosewater for that signature Persian flavor. Simmered it until it thickened slightly.
Once the baklava was out of the oven, I immediately poured the hot syrup all over it. It sizzled and soaked in, making the whole thing even more irresistible. I let it cool completely before attempting to cut it again (properly this time!).
The moment of truth! I carefully cut out a diamond and took a bite. Oh. My. Goodness. The flaky phyllo, the crunchy nuts, the sweet, floral syrup… it was heavenly! It wasn’t perfect, mind you. A little uneven, a few crumbs here and there, but it tasted amazing, and that’s all that matters, right?
So, there you have it. My Persian baklava adventure. It was messy, it was challenging, but it was totally worth it. I’d definitely make it again, maybe with a little more practice on the phyllo handling and remembering to score it before baking! Give it a try yourself, you might just surprise yourself!
- Ingredients: Phyllo dough, walnuts, pistachios, butter, sugar, lemon, rosewater, cinnamon, cardamom.
- Tip: Keep the phyllo dough covered with a damp towel to prevent it from drying out.
- Mistake to avoid: Score the baklava BEFORE baking, not after!
