Pistachio Baklava Recipes

PISTACHIO BAKLAVA

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse the pistachios until coarsely ground (or you can chop them by hand until very finely chopped). Don't overprocess the nuts. You want to maintain some texture.
• Clarify the butter by melting it over low heat, then letting it cook until the foam rises to the top and the milk solids fall to the bottom of the pan. This will take about 5 to 15 minutes depending upon how high your heat is, but don't rush it or the butter could burn.
• Skim foam off the top of the melted butter. Line a fine-mesh sieve with a piece of cheesecloth, place it over a bowl and pour the melted butter through.
• Heat oven to 400 degrees and brush the inside of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with a little of the clarified butter.
• Prepare the phyllo dough by trimming the stack of it with scissors to fit the bottom of your baking dish. Packages of phyllo come in different sizes; some won't need any trimming, some may need an inch or two cut off a side, and some may need to be cut in half crosswise. Cover phyllo layers with a lightly damp kitchen towel, and keep covered.
• Place 1 piece of phyllo on the bottom of the baking pan; brush lightly with clarified butter. Layer phyllo sheets on top, brushing each sheet with butter as you go, until half the phyllo is used.
• Spread pistachios on phyllo in an even layer, then layer with remaining phyllo, brushing each sheet with butter as you go (rewarm butter if necessary).
• Cut the pastry into 36 pieces, using clean up-and-down strokes and rotating the pan if necessary. Make sure to cut all the way through to bottom of pan. Pour any remaining butter evenly over pan.
• Bake baklava until the top is golden brown, and the lower phyllo layers beneath the pistachios are thoroughly baked through. To test this, use a knife to lift up a corner of one of the pastry rectangles from the center of the pan so you can peek at the bottom layers. Start checking after 40 minutes, but it could take an hour or even 1 hour 10 minutes. If the top starts to get too brown before the pastry is cooked through, lay a piece of foil over the top.
• Meanwhile, prepare sugar syrup: In a medium pot, combine sugar with 1 2/3 cups/400 milliliters water. Bring to a boil, then let simmer for 10 minutes, until slightly thickened. Stir in lemon juice.
• When the baklava is baked through, reheat the syrup until it comes to a simmer. Remove pan from oven and place in the sink or on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips of syrup. Slowly pour hot sugar syrup over the pastry; it will bubble up and some may overflow. When the syrup stops bubbling, move pan to wire rack to cool completely. Serve at room temperature.

PISTACHIO BAKLAVA

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking pan . In a bowl, combine pistachio nuts and 1/2 cup of the ghee.
• Take 8 sheets of phyllo dough and layer them in the greased pan, brushing each sheet with melted butter as you go.
• Spread about half of the nut mixture over phyllo dough.
• Cover with 6 sheets of dough, brushing each with ghee as you layer.
• Add remaining nut mixture and top with remaining sheets of phyllo dough, brushing each sheet with ghee.
• Using a knife, cut baklava into 1 1/2-inch diamonds.
• Bake for 50 minutes or until golden brown on top.
• While baklava bakes, combine sugar, honey, cinnamon, and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, making sure that sugar is completely dissolved.
• Reduce heat and allow the mixture to simmer for 5 minutes. Allow syrup to come down to room temperature before using.
• When baklava is done, take it out of the oven and allow it to cool.
• Once syrup is tepid, drizzle it on top of baklava. Let baklava rest for 6 to 8 hours so it soaks up syrup and flavors develop further.

MINI PISTACHIO BAKLAVAS

Steps:

• Lay the phyllo tart shells out on a serving platter.
• Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the pistachios and toast in the butter, stirring, until they have a nutty aroma, about 2 minutes. Add the honey, sugar, cinnamon and salt and cook, stirring, until thick and bubbling, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Use two small spoons to scoop the pistachio filling into the shells. Cool to room temperature before serving.

PISTACHIO BAKLAVA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300.
• Chop pistachios in food processor until finely chopped.
• Add walnuts, 2/3 cup sugar, and cinnamon and process until the texture of coarse meal, pulsing out any lumps. Set aside.
• Lightly fit 1 phyllo sheet in the bottom of a lightly greased 13x9 dish, trimming to fit if needed.
• Brush well with melted butter.
• Continue with 7 more sheets, brushing each sheet well with butter.
• If butter hardens, just microwave briefly to soften.
• Scatter a generous 1/3cup nut mixture over phyllo.
• Add 2 more sheets, brushing each well with butter.
• Add another 1/3 cup nut mixture and continue layering until all nut mixture is used, finishing with a layer of remaining phyllo, brushing each sheet with melted butter.
• Place baklava in freezer for 10 minutes for easier cutting.
• Slice in 2" wide diamond-shaped pattern. (or squares if that is easier).
• At this point it my abe wrapped with heavy duty aluminum foil and frozen if desired.
• Set baking dish on middle oven rack and place a shallow pan of water underneath.
• Bake for 2hrs and 10 minutes or until golden brown.
• Frozen baklava can be baked uncovered the same way for 2 and 1/2 - 3hrs. or until golden brown.
• Combine remaining 2/3 cups sugar, 2 cups water, honey and lemon juice in a large saucepan.
• Bring to boil over high heat, reduce to low and simmer uncovered 20 minutes.
• Pour into spouted measuring cup and cool to room temperature.
• Drizzle syrup evenly over baklava.
• Cool to room temperature, cover loosely with foil and let stand overnight before serving.

PISTACHIO BAKLAVA TARTLETS

Steps:

• Melt 5 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Place 15 mini phyllo shells on a baking sheet and brush with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter. Bake at 350 degrees F until just golden, 10 minutes. Meanwhile, add 1/4 cup chopped pistachios, 1/4 cup each honey and sugar, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest, 1/4 teaspoon allspice and a pinch of salt to the butter in the skillet; cook, stirring until thick, 5 minutes. Divide among the shells and sprinkle with grated chocolate. Let cool.

COCONUT AND PISTACHIO BAKLAVA

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking pan.
• 2. Unfold the sheets of phyllo dough, lay the stack on a work surface, and cover with wax paper and then a damp kitchen towel to keep it from drying out. Remove 2 pieces of phyllo, place them in the pan, and brush them with 1 tablespoon of the butter. Continue in the same way with the phyllo and butter until you have used 24 sheets of phyllo.
• 3. To make the filling: Stir together the coconut, pistachios, sugar, water, orange flower water, and salt in a medium bowl. Sprinkle half of the filling evenly over the phyllo in the pan. Place 2 sheets of phyllo in the pan and brush them with 1 tablespoon butter. Continue in the same way until you have used 12 sheets of phyllo. Spread the remaining filling on top. Layer and butter the remaining phyllo in the same way. Brush the top layer of pastry generously with butter, and pour any remaining butter over the top. With a sharp knife, cut the baklava lengthwise into 4 strips and then crosswise into 6 strips, taking care not to press down on the phyllo.
• 4. Bake for 30 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 300°F and bake for 1 hour and 10 to 15 minutes, until golden brown.
• 5. To make the syrup: Bring the sugar, water, and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the orange flower water and lime juice.
• 6. Transfer the baklava to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with the chopped pistachios and pour the syrup evenly over the top. Let cool completely on the rack. (The baklava can be stored at room temperature, tightly covered, for up to 2 days.)
• 7. Cut into pieces with a sharp knife and serve.

PISTACHIO BAKLAVA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small saucepan, combine honey, sugar, 1/3 cup water, lemon zest, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Remove syrup from heat; set aside.
• Butter bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking dish. Cut two 8-by-13-inch sheets of parchment paper; line bottom and sides of dish, overlapping sheets in a crisscross pattern, leaving an overhang.
• Unroll phyllo sheets on a flat surface; lift the top half, and carefully roll into a tight tube. Using a sharp knife, cut crosswise to make 1-inch-wide ribbons. Roll remaining phyllo sheets, and store, tightly wrapped in plastic, in refrigerator up to a week.
• In a large bowl, unroll and loosen phyllo ribbons. Using your hands, gently toss with butter and all but 2 tablespoons pistachios; press firmly into prepared baking dish. Bake until lightly browned, about 45 minutes.
• Remove zest and cinnamon stick from syrup; discard. Reheat syrup over medium heat; pour over the hot pastry. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons pistachios; let cool completely.
• Using paper overhang, lift baklava onto a cutting board. Remove paper. With a sharp knife, gently cut into 8 triangles; transfer to a serving dish. Serve with orange slices, if desired.

PISTACHIO HAZELNUT BAKLAVA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a large bowl, toss together the pistachio nuts, hazelnuts, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, and 1/2 cup sugar.
• Unroll thawed phyllo pastry, and cover with a damp towel to prevent drying and cracking. Brush a 10x15-inch jellyroll pan with melted butter using a pastry brush. Lay one sheet of pastry onto the buttered pan, and brush with more butter. Repeat until there are 8 buttered sheets of dough stacked. Sprinkle some of the nut mixture over this layer, then cover with 3 more layers of pastry, each brushed with butter. Sprinkle more of the nut mixture, then 3 layers of buttered pastry. Repeat this pattern until the nut mixture is gone, reserving 8 layers of pastry for the top. Each time a layer of pastry is added, it must be brushed with the melted butter.
• Cut the pastry into strips, then into diamonds. Pieces should be somewhat small because they are so sweet. At this point, each piece may be studded with a whole clove. Heat the remaining melted butter until boiling, and drizzle it evenly over the whole pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until evenly golden, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
• While the pastry is baking, combine the remaining 3 cups sugar, water, honey, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• When the pastry comes out of the oven, immediately pour the syrup evenly over the entire pan. Be careful when pouring; the hot syrup may cause the butter in the pastry to boil up and splatter. Allow baklava to cool to room temperature before serving. Remove whole cloves from pieces before eating.

HOW TO MAKE PISTACHIO BAKLAVA ROLLS

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine the honey, sugar, water, cinnamon and orange peel and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The syrup should thicken slightly. Remove from heat, set aside and let it cool.
• To prepare the filling, place the pistachio nuts and/or walnuts in a food processor and pulse several times until finely chopped but not pasty. Put the nuts in a bowl and combine with the sugar, breadcrumbs, cinnamon and cloves.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Prepare a 13"x 9"x 2" pan by brushing the sides and bottom with melted butter.
• Unroll the 14"x18" package of filo and, with a sharp knife, cut it in half length-wise, leaving you with two stacks of 14"x9" sheets of filo. You will only need one of the stacks, so roll up the other, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap, and return to the refrigerator.
• Place one sheet of filo on a clean surface with the longest side in front of you. Brush with some of the melted butter to coat. Place a second sheet of filo on top of the first and butter it again (keep the rest of the filo covered while you work so it won't dry out).
• Sprinkle some of the nut mixture along the side closest to you. Start rolling the filo as tight as possible without breaking. It should look like a long cylinder. If you get any holes, do not worry about it. With a serrated knife, cut the roll into 2-inch pieces and place on the prepared pan, seam side-down. Repeat with more filo, until all the nuts are used. Brush generously the top of the pistachio rolls with melted butter. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven.
• Pour the cooled syrup slowly and evenly over the top of the baklava. It might look like a lot of syrup initially, but it will all be absorbed as it cools down. Sprinkle with some finely minced pistachio nuts.
• Let the pistachio baklava rolls sit uncovered for at least 4 hours before serving.
• Over a double boiler (or in a microwave), gently melt the dark chocolate. Drizzle lightly over the cooled baklava and let it set for an hour before serving. (This step is optional)

ALMOND PISTACHIO BAKLAVA

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, bring 2 cups sugar, water, honey and lemon juice to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes. Cool., Preheat oven to 350°. Working in batches, combine pistachios and almonds in a food processor; cover and process until finely chopped. Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in cinnamon, nutmeg and remaining sugar; set aside. Brush a 15x10x1-in. baking pan with some of the butter. Unroll one package of phyllo dough; cut stack into a 10-1/2x9-in. rectangle. Repeat with remaining phyllo. Discard scraps., Line bottom of prepared pan with two sheets of phyllo dough (sheets will overlap slightly). Brush with butter. Repeat layers 9 times. (Keep dough covered with a damp towel until ready to use to prevent it from drying out.) Sprinkle with a third of the nut mixture. , Top with 10 layers of buttered phyllo dough and a third of the nut mixture; repeat layers. Top with remaining phyllo dough, buttering each layer. , Using a sharp knife, cut into 1-1/2-in. diamond shapes. Bake until golden brown, 40-45 minutes. Place pan on a wire rack. Slowly pour cooled sugar syrup over baklava. Cover and let stand overnight.

WALNUT AND PISTACHIO BAKLAVA

Steps:

• For syrup:
• Combine all ingredients and 1 cup water in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium and boil until syrup is reduced to generous 2 cups, about 15 minutes. Transfer to bowl and cool completely. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
• For baklava:
• Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 350°F. Spread walnuts on large rimmed baking sheet. Spread pistachios on another large rimmed baking sheet. Place nuts in oven and toast 5 minutes. Cool nuts. Transfer nuts to processor. Add 3/4 cup sugar, lemon peel, and ground cinnamon. Using on/off turns, blend until nuts are ground to medium-fine texture. Transfer nut mixture to large bowl; mix in dried apples.
• Place phyllo sheet stack on work surface; cover with sheet of plastic wrap, then damp kitchen towel. Brush 13 x 9 x 2-inch metal baking pan with some melted butter. Arrange 1 phyllo sheet in pan with half of phyllo sheet hanging over 1 long side. Brush phyllo in pan with some melted butter. Fold overhang over to make two 12 x 8 1/2-inch layers. Brush with some melted butter. Repeat stacking and buttering with 4 more phyllo sheets, making 10 layers total. Spread 1/3 of nut mixture (generous 2 cups) over phyllo in pan to within 1/2 inch of edge. Repeat layering 2 more times with 5 phyllo sheets and 1/3 of remaining nut mixture each time. Top with 5 more folded phyllo sheets. Using sharp knife, cut through top phyllo layers lengthwise (do not cut through to bottom of pan) to make 4 strips, then cut phyllo crosswise to make 16 rectangles. Bake until phyllo is golden, about 45 minutes.
• Gradually spoon cold syrup over hot baklava. Cool to room temperature. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; let stand at room temperature.
• Cut each baklava rectangle crosswise in half for total of 32 pieces. Transfer baklava to platter and serve.