Baklava

(Sara Penhale)

Makes about 100 2 ½ inch long diamonds
A confection prevalent throughout the Near East.

Simmer a syrup of:
½ cup sugar or honey
¾ cup water
½ lemon
until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove the lemon. Add:
1 Tbsp orange blossom water
and simmer a few minutes longer. Cool and refrigerate.

Prepare a filling of:
1 ½ cups coarsely chopped nuts: almonds, pstachios and walnuts in any proportion
Sprinkle the nuts with a mixture of:
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cloves
Melt:
1 cup sweet butter
Have ready:
24 sheets phyllo, 649: 1 lb.

Layer 12 phyllo sheets on an 11/15 inch buttered backing pan, brushing the sheets of dough with about half the butter. Spread the filling on top and cover with the remaining 12 simliarly buttered sheets.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cut the top layered sheets and filling diagonally into 2 inch long diamonds, but leave the bottom few layers of sheets uncut. Bake about 30 minutes. Raise oven temperature to 475 and bake about 15 mintus longer or until golden. Remove from oven. Pour the refrigerated syrup over the top of the puffed dough. Cut, using the same diagonal, through the uncut layer of dough and serve the diamond shaped slices when cooled.

[Recipe courtesy of The Joy of Cooking]