Baklava Makedonska
The Quirky Foodster Team
Ingredients
- Filo pastry sheets — 500 g (1 lb 2 oz)
- Chopped walnuts — 300 g (10.5 oz)
- Ground cinnamon — 1 tsp
- Butter, melted — 225 g (8 oz)
- Sugar, for the syrup — 400 g (14 oz)
- Water, for the syrup — 360 ml (12 fl oz)
- Lemon juice, for the syrup — 1 tbsp
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Combine the chopped walnuts and cinnamon for the filling.
- Brush a baking dish with melted butter and layer in half the filo sheets, brushing each layer with butter.
- Spread the walnut filling evenly over the layered pastry.
- Top with the remaining filo sheets, brushing each with butter as before.
- Cut the assembled baklava into diamond or square shapes before baking.
- Bake for 35–40 minutes until golden and crisp.
- Meanwhile, combine the sugar, water and lemon juice in a saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes to make the syrup.
- Pour the hot syrup evenly over the baklava as soon as it comes out of the oven.
- Let cool completely before serving, allowing the syrup to fully absorb.
Introduction: Layers of crisp filo pastry filled with chopped walnuts and soaked in a sweet syrup, a beloved North Macedonian dessert with Ottoman roots.
Cultural Background: Baklava reflects the Ottoman culinary influence spread across the Balkans, and North Macedonia's version is a cherished dessert for celebrations, its crisp layers and rich walnut filling a labour of love passed down through generations.
Tips: Cut the baklava into pieces before baking, as it's much easier to cut cleanly at this stage than after baking. Pour the syrup while the baklava is still hot from the oven, as this helps it absorb evenly.
Variations: Use a mix of walnuts and pistachios for a more elaborate filling. Add a little orange zest to the syrup for extra fragrance.
Storage: Store covered at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Reheating: Not applicable — served at room temperature.
FAQs:
Q: Why cut baklava before baking?
A: It's much easier to achieve clean, neat cuts before baking, as the pastry becomes very crisp and delicate once cooked.
Q: How long does baklava keep?
A: It keeps well for about a week at room temperature, and the flavour often deepens after a day or two.
- Filo pastry sheets — 500 g (1 lb 2 oz)
- Chopped walnuts — 300 g (10.5 oz)
- Ground cinnamon — 1 tsp
- Butter, melted — 225 g (8 oz)
- Sugar, for the syrup — 400 g (14 oz)
- Water, for the syrup — 360 ml (12 fl oz)
- Lemon juice, for the syrup — 1 tbsp
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