Destination
Antalya
The story
Fıstıklı baklava (pistachio baklava) is Turkey's most iconic dessert and the pride of Gaziantep, the southern Turkish city with a protected geographical indication for the dish. Wafer-thin sheets of filo pastry (yufka) are layered with clarified butter and generous amounts of ground pistachios, sliced into small diamonds or squares before baking, baked at moderate heat until every layer is deep golden and crisp, and drenched in a hot lemon sugar syrup while still warm from the oven. The finished baklava is served at room temperature, cut into pieces so small they are eaten in one or two bites, and topped with a scatter of finely-ground pistachios for the classical Gaziantep green colour. Sold at every Turkish sweet shop and served at every celebration, especially religious holidays.
Method
In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar, water, lemon juice and lemon peel. Bring to a boil, then simmer 15 minutes until slightly thickened. Cool completely to room temperature.
Pulse pistachios in a food processor to a coarse-fine texture, not a paste. Aim for the size of small couscous grains. Set aside 80g of finely-ground pistachios for topping; the rest is the filling.
Clarify the butter by melting it in a saucepan, letting the milk solids settle, and pouring off the clear golden fat (discard the milky solids). Keep the clarified butter warm and liquid.
Brush a large deep baking tray thoroughly with clarified butter.
Lay a sheet of filo in the tray (trim if necessary to fit). Brush lightly with clarified butter. Lay another sheet, brush with butter. Continue until you have layered 20 sheets of filo, each buttered.
Spread the ground pistachios (except the reserved 80g for topping) in an even layer across the buttered filo. Press gently.
Continue layering another 20 filo sheets on top of the pistachios, brushing each with butter. Finish with a heavy brush of butter on the very top sheet.
Using a very sharp knife, cut the whole tray into small diamonds or squares (about 4cm across). Cut all the way through to the bottom. This is essential.
Preheat oven to 175C. Bake the baklava for 40 to 50 minutes until the top is deep golden brown and the layers have crisped throughout.
As soon as the baklava comes out of the oven, pour the cold syrup evenly over the hot pastry. You will hear it sizzle. Do not stir or move the tray. Rest overnight at room temperature so the syrup fully soaks in.
Just before serving, scatter with the reserved finely-ground pistachios. Lift out individual diamonds with a small palette knife. Serve at room temperature with Turkish coffee.
Tips
- Cut before baking. If you cut after baking, the layers shatter. The pre-baking cuts are what let the syrup penetrate every layer.
- Cold syrup on hot pastry, or hot syrup on cold pastry. Never both at the same temperature; the syrup will not soak evenly.
- Antep pistachios if possible. The specific green colour and floral flavour of Gaziantep pistachios is the classical signature. Any Turkish grocer sells them.
- Clarified butter, not regular butter. The milk solids in regular butter burn during the long bake.
- Rest overnight. The syrup needs 8 hours to fully soak into every layer. Baklava eaten straight from the oven is a mistake.
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