They were keeping a deep, dark secret from me. I had no idea the bamboozling I was in for. How could a lineage of strong Greek mothers take a secret like this to the grave…It was almost lost for good.
Last year, in the midst of a move to the desert dry Southwest, my mom nearly died of Valley Fever. Remarkably, after high flow oxygen, huge drips of antifungals and multiple visits to the ER, she is back on her feet. Feet that at one time held a 90 pound frame and were too feeble to walk. Through the course of the year she worked tirelessly to regain strength and breath. Her mental fortitude was a gift from the beginning. With that, and the new found pep in her step, she sought to bring back nostalgia from times past. Cooking and baking with her mother and grandmother was common at Christmastime. Now, she chose to share some recipes with me and my daughter.
I didn’t even think I liked baklava.
I mean, it’s fine. It’s not terrible, like flan. (Yikes, I feel some haters)*. Baklava has not been my first choice here, Greece, anywhere…ever. My recollections were, “it’s too syrupy” and “it hurts my teeth”.
How do you baklava? Yep, that’s what I meant to say. Honey or Sugar? Walnuts or nut mix? Pistachios? Spices? If one more piece of phyllo rips before this thing gets baked I’m gonna trash it. (I have known to be slightly dramatic at times.)
Anyway, I love Greek food, and I make a good deal of cuisine rich in the fruits of the Mediterranean diet. I’m talking about Souvlakia with Homemade Pita and Mezze Platters with Melizanosalata (Eggplant dip) & Tzatziki. We make huge bushels of Greek Meatballs and Pastitsio. I’m too full for dessert after all that.
— That was until this little family secret was unveiled. —
This is my Great Yiayia’s recipe for Baklava, over 100 years old. And I have no idea why mom was holding out on me until now. She must have known it would convert me to a baklava freak – and she was right.
We made the big tray, and you’re going to want to, too. Cut them small (like 2 biters). They are the perfect amount of sweet when paired with a dark roast or espresso. They make great little Christmas gifts for the neighbors. They last in the fridge for up to 2 weeks (covered well).
Try this recipe for yourself. And you too might understand why they didn’t want to share.
Feeds your entire Greek family and some neighbors; Takes about 45 min cooking time + 1 day of rest
Ingredients for Baklava
- 5 cups cane sugar
- 3 cups water
- 3lbs walnuts, chopped well
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- Juice of 1 1/2 lemons (do not use anything but real, fresh lemons)
- 2 sticks melted butter (salted is fine) + more
- 1 package phyllo dough, thawed (15-16 sheets)
- Cloves (about 10, optional)
Method for making Baklava
Preheat convection oven to 350F.
First we make our simple syrup:
Combine water and sugar and bring to a boil. When it starts to boil, set a timer for 11 minutes. (Don’t ask me why, Yiayia said to do it.) Keep the mixture at a low boil and stir constantly. Once the timer is up, add the lemon juice and taste. Set aside to cool to room temp.
Pull out a large lipped baking dish (ours was 12×18 inches) and grease it with butter completely.
In a large bowl mix the cinnamon and walnuts.
Layer 6 sheets of phyllo, brushing each sheet with butter before topping it with the next.
Top this with half of the walnut/cinnamon mix.
Now it’s time for 3 more layers of phyllo, buttering in between, as before.
Add the rest of the walnuts.
6 more sheets of phyllo, buttering in between. You are also going to make sure to butter the top layer of phyllo liberally.
Cut the baklava now. We like them 2-3 bite pieces, so you will cut roughly 7 times by 10 times.
Bake, uncovered for 30 min.
As soon as you remove the baklava from the oven, pour over the room temperature syrup.
Place cloves in 8-10 pieces (if using) and cover tightly overnight on the counter.
Enjoy the next morning with a giant cup a Joe.
* I like the idea of flan, I really do, but somewhere in the depths of that jiggly, cold bite I have a textural incompatibility – Just like oysters. But I set out on a mission to become an oyster omnivore. And it worked. I do like them, now. So, I will take the flan challenge next.
**This will keep well in the fridge, if wrapped well for up to two weeks…but my guess is they won’t last you that long.
