BAKLAVA

Preparation: 2 ½ hours
Yield: 4 dozen (depending upon size)

Comment: This recipe is shared from Our Best Feasting Foods, a cookbook of Orthodox Recipes including those are also acceptable for Lent.

Ingredients:
1 lb walnuts
1 lb almonds
2 lbs butter, melted
1-2 lbs filo dough
Whole cloves (optional)
6 cups Sugar (divided)
1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg
4 ½ cups water
juice of 1 lemon
lemon rind
orange rind
1 tsp rosewater (optional)
1 – 2 cinnamon sticks

Method: Grind nuts very fine and mix with 1 cup of sugar, the cinnamon and nutmeg. Grease 11x16 inch pan with some melted butter. Place 4 large filo in pan, brushing each with melted butter. Sprinkle with thin layer of nut mixture. Cover with 3 filo, brushing each with melted butter. Continue until all nut mixture and filo are used. Finish with 4 filo on top. Cut to form diamond shapes. Put whole clove in the center of each diamond, if desired. Bake in slow oven, about 300 degrees F, for about 1½ hours until golden brown. Remove and cool. Combine the remaining 5 cups of sugar, the water, lemon juice, some rind of the lemon and orange, 1 teaspoon rosewater, if desired, cloves, if desired, and 1 or 2 cinnamon sticks. Boil until medium consistency. Not watery, but syrupy. Pour hot syrup over cold baklava. Cool to let it absorb the liquid.
      
Note: Be sure to keep the filo covered with plastic wrap and a damp cloth at all times while working with the dough. It becomes unusable if it dries out. Also, save tour best 4 filo pieces for the top layer.