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🇹🇷 Gaziantep, Turkey Kid-friendly

Turkish Pistachio Baklava

Dozens of buttery phyllo layers and emerald pistachios, soaked in light syrup

Prep
45 min
Cook
50 min
Total
5 hr 35 min
Yield
About 30 pieces
Level
Intermediate
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The story

Several cultures claim baklava, and layered pastries of dough, nuts and sweetener have been made across the Near East and the Mediterranean for centuries. The version most people recognise today took shape in the Ottoman palace kitchens of Topkapı in Istanbul. During Ramadan, trays of baklava were presented to the Janissary soldiers in a ceremony known as the Baklava Procession.

The city most closely tied to baklava is Gaziantep in southeastern Turkey, which is surrounded by orchards of small, intensely green Antep pistachios. Its baklava masters roll dough so thin you can read through it and bake trays glossy with butter. In 2013 Gaziantep baklava became the first Turkish product to receive Protected Geographical Indication status from the European Union.

At home, ready-made phyllo does the hardest part. Gaziantep pastry shops keep their syrup light and pour cool syrup over the hot pastry, so the layers stay crisp instead of turning sticky. Use the brightest green unsalted pistachios you can find.

Tips for success

  • Pour cool syrup over hot baklava, or hot syrup over cooled baklava. Never pour hot onto hot, or the layers go soggy.
  • Cut the baklava before baking. The baked phyllo is too crisp to cut neatly.
  • Store baklava uncovered or loosely covered at room temperature for up to a week. The fridge makes it hard and sticky.
  • If a phyllo sheet tears, patch it and carry on. The middle layers hide any mistakes.

Turkish Pistachio Baklava

An authentic Turkish pistachio baklava recipe in the Gaziantep style: crisp phyllo, clarified butter, bright green pistachios and a light lemon syrup. Step-by-step and foolproof.

Prep
45 min
Cook
50 min
Total
5 hr 35 min
Yield
About 30 pieces
Calories
~210/serving

Ingredients

For the syrup

For the baklava

Instructions

Make the syrup first

  1. Bring the sugar and water to a boil in a saucepan, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Simmer for 10 minutes without stirring, add the lemon juice, then cool completely to room temperature.

Clarify the butter

  1. Melt the butter over low heat and skim off the foam. Pour the clear golden butter into a bowl, leaving the milky solids in the pan. You should have about 1 1/4 cups (300 ml).

Layer

  1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the lower third. Brush a 9x13-inch (23x33 cm) metal pan with clarified butter. Toss the chopped pistachios with the 2 tbsp sugar.
  2. Unroll the phyllo and keep it covered with plastic wrap and a damp towel. Lay one sheet in the pan, brush it lightly with butter and repeat until you have stacked half the sheets.
  3. Spread the pistachio mixture evenly over the phyllo.
  4. Layer the remaining sheets on top, buttering each one, and brush the top sheet generously.

Cut and bake

  1. With a very sharp knife, cut all the way through into diamonds or squares, about 30 pieces. Drizzle any remaining butter into the cuts.
  2. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until deep golden and crisp all over, rotating the pan halfway through.

Soak and rest

  1. As soon as the pan comes out of the oven, ladle the cool syrup evenly over the hot baklava. It should sizzle.
  2. Leave uncovered at room temperature for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight, so the syrup soaks in. Garnish with ground pistachios and recut before serving.

Tools we use

Recipe from Miss Confection · https://missconfection.com/recipe/turkish-pistachio-baklava

Questions, answered

Should baklava syrup be hot or cold?

The syrup and pastry should be at different temperatures. Pouring cool syrup over hot baklava straight from the oven keeps the layers crisp while the syrup soaks in.

How long does baklava last?

Baklava keeps for about a week loosely covered at room temperature. It also freezes well for up to 3 months.

Why is my baklava soggy?

Usually the syrup and pastry were both hot, there was too much syrup, or the baklava was underbaked. Bake until deep golden and keep the syrup cool.

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