Sylvia’s Baklava

½ kg blanched almonds
1 packet of filo (not Pampas)
250g unsalted butter, melted

Roast the almonds until light golden.
Whiz in the food processor until reasonably fine.

First you need to assemble the filo.
Use three sheets if the filo is very thin, if not use two sheets.
Lay out a sheet of filo with the long edge towards you. Brush melted butter over it liberally. Lay a second sheet over this and butter liberally (repeat with a 3rd sheet if using).

Sprinkle the half the pastry closest to you with the almonds. Roll away from you, starting along the long edge. Roll it up completely.
Lay a separate sheet of filo on the bench and butter liberally.
Place the already rolled baklava on top of this sheet, flap side down.
Roll up tightly.

Cut the roll at an angle to form approximately 4cm long diamonds.

These can now be frozen stored separately in an airtight container. Take out of the freezer and defrost in the fridge the night before cooking, or they can be cooked from frozen.

Place separately on a baking tray and baste with butter. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes at 200 degrees celsius (or maybe a little less, keep an eye on them). Lower the oven to 170 degrees and bake for a further 10 minutes until pale golden. They may not need as long as this.

Remove from the tray, place onto a serving dish or into a storage container and then pour over the cool syrup to approximately half a centimetre deep. They may require more or less syrup.

ALTERNATIVELY the baklava can be cooked in sheets (like a lasagne).
Layer two sheets of filo with butter in between, then sprinkle with the almonds.
Repeat until there are 7 to 8 sheets of filo in total. Finish with with 1 or 2 sheets of filo.
Cut into diamonds before cooking.
Baste with butter, and then cook at 200 degrees Celsius until golden.
Pour cold syrup over hot baklava.

Syrup
3 ½ cups sugar
3 cups water
½ lemon juiced

Place ingredients in a saucepan.
Cook for about 20 minutes (or to 220 degrees celsius on a sugar thermometer)
Pour cooled syrup over the hot baklavas.

Grublover comment
Sylvia is a lovely greek chef that mum met while on holiday in the mother land (kazi). She won a baklava competition on the island, beating all the Greeks and Turks. Mum made some when she got back and it is truly delicious and moreish.