Recipe: Rosewater Baklava

Ramadan is an important month in Islam that is meant for prayer, discipline, and gratuity. During this holy season, participants fast from sunrise through sunset. Suhoor is the meal that is eaten before sunrise and iftar is enjoyed after sunset. To break the fast, elaborate meals with various dishes are often made to satisfy the hunger felt throughout the day. Desserts are an important component at these meals as they provide sugar which will energize the person the next day.

Baklava is one treat that’s favored during Ramadan because it’s the perfect light dessert to have after a heavy meal. It’s made from thin sheets of phyllo layered with chopped pistachios and soaked in a sweet syrup mixture. In this variation, the sugar syrup is flavored with rosewater, but orange blossom water is another common flavoring. The addition of rosewater makes the baklava more fragrant and balances out the sweetness of the honey.

Ingredients:

• 1 package of phyllo dough
• 1 lb. pistachios, chopped
• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. rose water

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9×13 baking pan with butter.
3. In a large bowl, stir the chopped pistachios and ground cinnamon together. Set aside.
4. Unroll the package of phyllo dough. Place a dampened cloth on top of the phyllo dough to keep it from drying out when not in use. Place one phyllo sheet in the greased pan and brush with melted butter. Repeat this process until you have layered 8 sheets.
5. Sprinkle 2-3 tbsp. of pistachios on top. Add 2 more layers of phyllo sheets and butter then a layer of pistachios. Repeat until all of the nut mixture has been used up. The top section should have 6-8 layers of phyllo and butter.
6. Butter the top layer and use a sharp knife to cut the baklava into diamond or square shapes through the bottom of the pan.
7. Bake for 50 minutes or until the baklava is golden and crispy.
8. While the baklava is baking, prepare the sugar syrup. Boil sugar and water together until the sugar has melted.
9. Add in honey, lemon juice, and rosewater. Let simmer for 20 minutes.
10. When the baklava is done baking, remove from the oven and pour the syrup mixture over the top as evenly as possible.
11. Let cool completely before serving.

*Original recipe from Just a Pinch.