1 packet of phyllo pastry
125g butter (melted)
2 cups (+-200g) nuts (chopped)
Syrup
1¼ cups water
400g sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon rosewater
Preheat the oven to 220c. Make the syrup first (see below) and chilli.
Choose a baking dish as close to 20cm x 25cm. at least 3cm deep, that you have. Brush it liberally with melted butter and cut the filo pastry sheets to fit the dish (off cuts can also be used for patching).
Divide the sheets into 3. Working with the first third (5-8 sheets), layer them into the baking dish, brushing each sheets with a little butter.
Spread half the nuts evenly over the pastry and then continue layering the next third pastry, remaining nuts, and then the final third pastry, brushing every sheet with butter – do not butter the top sheet yet.
With a sharp knife, cut the baklava into shapes, through to the base as follows:
Parallel with the shortest side -+ 3cm apart; Diagonally from corner and then again in parallel lines -+ 3cm apart, to form diamonds shapes. Now brush the top with melted butter. Bake for 10minutes at 220c, then reduce the heat to 180* and bake for a further 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Syrup
Place the sugar, water and lemon juice in a pot and bring to the boil. Stir until the sugar has dissolved, reduce the heat and boil for 20 minutes, until the syrup is thick.
Stir in the rosewater, remove from the heat and cool. Store in the fridge until required.
Once the baklava is golden brown, remove from the oven and pour over the cooled syrup. Allow to cool completely before removing. Store in an airtight container (Baklava also freezes well if not baked, and can be baked from frozen.)
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