Recipe Station

One thing we might suggest, if they are available, is to get shelled pistachios. If not, you will be shelling for a while before you start preparation!

Ingredients
◾2 cups plus 8 tablespoons sugar, divided
◾2/3 cup honey
◾1 cup water
◾2 cinnamon sticks
◾12 ounces shelled pistachios, toasted (scant 3 cups)
◾2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
◾1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
◾18 14×9-inch sheets fresh phyllo pastry or frozen, thawed (from one 16-ounce package)

Preparation
Simmer 2 cups sugar, honey, water and cinnamon sticks in saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Boil over medium heat until reduced to approximately 2 cups, about 15 minutes. Cool syrup.
Place nuts and 2 tablespoons sugar in processor. Using on/off turns, process until most of nuts are finely ground (the largest pieces should be the size of small peas). Mix nuts, 6 tablespoons sugar, and cinnamon in medium bowl.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish with some of melted butter. Place 1 phyllo sheet folded over on bottom of dish. Brush lightly with melted butter. Repeat 5 more times with phyllo and melted butter. Sprinkle half of pistachio mixture (about 1 1/2 cups) evenly over phyllo. Place 1 phyllo sheet (folded over) over nuts; brush lightly with butter. Repeat 5 more times with phyllo sheets and melted butter. Sprinkle remaining pistachio mixture evenly over. Place 1 phyllo sheet atop nuts folded in half; brush with butter. Repeat 5 more times with phyllo sheets and melted butter.

For the rest of this scrumptious recipe please go on over to First Look Then Cook. Once there you will learn how to cut through the phyllo and how exactly to bake the baklava and for how long!

We still think about Aunt Molly, such a lovely lady, and all of her wonderful dishes but her baklava will always stay on our mind. Maybe one day our baklava will be as memorable as hers. We are certainly off to a good start – and now so are you!