BAKLAVA

Information

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Baklava a layered pastry dessert made of filo pastry, filled with chopped nuts, and sweetened with syrup or honey

It was one of the most popular sweet pastries of Ottoman cuisine The pre-Ottoman origin of the dish is unknown, but, in modern times, it is a common dessert of Iranian, Turkish and Arab cuisines, and other countries of the Levant and Maghreb, along with the South Caucasus, Balkans, and Central Asia Baklava is basically layers of crisp phyllo dough (paper-thin sheets of raw, unleavened flour dough used for making pastries) alternated with a sugary spiced nut mixture, which includes walnuts, almonds, and possibly pistachios

The pastry is prepared on large trays, and melted shortening is poured on top

After baking, the whole thing is soaked in fragrant sweet syrup made with honey, lemon, and cinnamon

Sweet and exotic, baklava is cut into small pieces of various shapes (triangles, squares, or diamonds) and cooled before serving