Pistachio & cardamom baklava

Photography by Ian Wallace

Preparation Time
30 minutes

Cooking Time
40 minutes

Makes 18 pieces

Ingredients
    Melted butter, to grease
    200g unsalted pistachio kernels
    1 tsp ground cardamom
    125ml (1/2 cup) water
    1 tbs honey
    2 tsp fresh lemon juice
    160g (2/3 cup) white sugar
    8 sheets filo pastry (Antoniou brand)
    100g unsalted butter, melted

Method
Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush a square 17cm (base measurement) cake pan with melted butter to lightly grease. Place the pistachios and cardamom in the bowl of a food processor and process until coarsely chopped.

Combine water, honey, lemon juice and sugar in a saucepan and bring to the boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until reduced by one-third. Remove from heat and set aside for 1 hour to cool.

Place filo on a clean work surface. Cover with a clean tea towel, then a damp tea towel (this will prevent it drying out). Brush 1 sheet with melted butter and fold into quarters. Repeat with remaining filo.

Place 1 filo square in the prepared pan. Sprinkle with 2 tbs of pistachio. Continue layering with remaining filo and pistachio, finishing with filo. Brush with remaining melted butter. Cut into 9 even squares. Cut each square in half diagonally.

Bake in oven for 30 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven. Drizzle with syrup. Set aside for 40 minutes to cool.

Serve with Turkish coffee.

Notes
You can make this baklava up to 1 day ahead. Store in an airtight container out of direct sunlight.

Good Taste - October 2004
Recipe by Rodney Dunn