Baklava

 A easy-peasy Greek favourite that makes you look like a master chef!

Ingredients:

For the syrup
300ml water
300g caster sugar
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 tablespoon rosewater

For the pastry:
325g pistachios, chopped finely
100g Demerara Sugar
1 tablespoon dried orange rind
125g melted unsalted butter, edible vegetable oil or ghee
400g filo pastry (we used 21 wonton sheets)

For garnish:
Chopped Pistachios.

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180ºC (356ºF).

• Grease a baking tin well, we used a circle 8" tin, but you could use a square or rectangular one. Since you have to cut through the Baklava, it's preferable you don't use your favourite tin!

• Start by greasing each sheet one by one and placing them on the tin as to cover the whole tin. 

• Once you've put 7 greased sheets on the base and covered it completely, spread a mixture of Demerara sugar, pistachios and dried orange rind evenly over the sheets. 

• Start placing more greased sheets and spread some more mixture evenly and top with a few last greased wonton/ filo sheets. Cut the baklava into squares or diamonds (Like in the picture)

• Meanwhile, bring to a boil water, sugar and lemon juice. Keep it at boiling point for 5 minutes to make a sugar syrup. Add the rosewater and then remove it from the heat.  Let it cool and then chill it in the fridge.

• Bake the baklava in the oven for around 30 minutes to one hour depending on the power of your oven. It took us 50 minutes though our recipe said 30. You can stop when the sheets become crisp and turn slightly golden in colour.

• To serve, pour the rosewater mixture evenly over the hot, baked baklava. It will sizzle and add taste to the baklava. Serve immediately.

Enjoy making this easy dish and do tell us your suggestions, tips and reviews in the comments below! 

Tips:

Cover the filo sheets with a damp tea towel to prevent them from drying up.

Make sure the syrup is completely cooled before pouring it over the Baklava

If the baklava does not turn brown, make sure the sheets turns crisp at least

Hello there!

When my mum and I first heard of blogging, We aspired to make our own food blog. But we never knew where to start and how to go about it. Anyway, we've finally made up my mind. And here it finally is, our own Food Blog. We call it 'The Cheese Slice' because of our unconditional love for cheese.
Since the beginning, mum and I enjoy cooking together. Trying new recipes, changing recipes according to our availabilities and what not. I started cooking when I was around 9, before which I would help mum wash vegetables. Anyway, since then I developed a love for cooking, baking and eating.
We strongly believe that food is one thing that never lets us down. Which is why we also believe that anyone can cook. So why don't you step into the kitchen, try something and tell us how it turns out?