Baklava From Greece

Photo: flickr user Navin75

Ingredients

4 cups sugar

2 cups water

1/2 lemon, juice extracted

1/2 cup honey (optional)

1 pound phyllo (purchased strudel leaves)

1 pound butter, melted

6 cups walnuts, chopped fine

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preparation

Bring to boil and simmer 10 minutes. Cool and add honey if desired.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use a pan, size 11x17 inches. In a mixing bowl, combine sugar, nuts and spice. Brush 8 layers of phyllo with melted butter and put 1/3 of spice mixture over last buttered sheet.

Next, butter and layer 3 more sheets of phyllo and then add another 1/3 spice mixture. Butter 3 more sheets of phyllo and put remaining spice mixture on top. Next, brush the remaining sheets of phyllo well, with butter.

To finish, cut the uncooked baklava into diamond shapes and bake 45 minutes or until golden in color. Remove from oven and pour cool syrup over hot baklava. Set pastry aside to cool completely in pan.