Baklava

From the Balkans east to Afghanistan, this sweet pastry appears at all holiday and festive occasions. The following recipe comes from the Balkans. Variations include substituting sugar for the honey in the syrup in Yugoslavia and Greece, flavoring the syrup with cardamom, rose geranium, or rose essence in the Middle East and Afghanistan, substituting pistachios for half the walnuts in Lebanon and Afghanistan, or using hazelnuts instead of walnuts in Turkey.

For the syrup:

1½ cups sugar

1½ cups honey

2 cups water

1 tablespoon lemon juice

For the pastry:

1 pound walnuts, half of them chopped, the rest ground (or use a mixture of walnuts and pistachios)

½ cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 pound sweet butter, melted

2 pounds filo

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Combine the chopped and ground walnuts with the sugar and the cinnamon. Brush a 12-by-17-inch baking tray with melted butter. Place 6 sheets of filo on it, brushing each with melted butter. Scatter a third of the walnut mixture on top. Then repeat the process two more times. Cover with six sheets of filo, brushing between each one. With a sharp pointed knife, score the top layer of pastry into a diamond pattern. Bake for 1 hour or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool to lukewarm. Pour the syrup all over the top. Best eaten a day later, when the syrup has had time to infuse. (Note: Never pour hot syrup over hot baklava; it makes it soggy. Either the syrup or the pastry or both should be cold.)

For the syrup:
	1½	cups sugar
	1½	cups honey
	2	cups water
	1	tablespoon lemon juice
For the pastry:
	1	pound walnuts, half of them chopped, the rest ground (or use a mixture of walnuts and pistachios)
	½	cup sugar
	1	teaspoon cinnamon
	1	pound sweet butter, melted
	2	pounds filo