Baklava is a popular sweet pastry in Turkish, Greek, and Albanian cuisines. It consists of ground and finely chopped walnuts or pistachios between sheets of filo pastry, soaked in a sugary solution of honey, sugar, spices and rosewater and cut into small squares.

Baklava is a simple delicious dessert. Made with paper thin phyllo dough that has been buttered and layered in a rectangular baking dish. Layer several sheets of phyllo (about 6 or 7) and top with a mixture of ground nuts and a little sugar and cinnamon. Walnuts or pistachios are used most often sometimes with a combination of almonds, and pecans. After layering of nut mixture is completed, top with remaining buttered phyllo, score with sharp knife and bake. When taken from the oven pour on the syrup (equal parts sugar and water boiled to a syrup consistency and then mixed with honey cinnamon and cloves). Cut into triangles, squares or diamonds and serve. Stays fresh a good while. Freezes well.

Because of its high sugar content, baklava is extremely rich.