Baklava

Baklava is a wonderful layered Greek and Middle Eastern pastry that is baked and then soaked in a sweet syrup. Although it does take some time to assemble, the recipe makes a large batch, and your guests will adore it.

Yield: 4 to 5 dozen

Active time: 40 minutes

Start to finish: 1¹/₂ hours

3¹/₂ cups walnuts

¹/₂ cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¹/₄ teaspoon ground cloves

1 (1-pound) package vegan phyllo sheets, such as Fillo Factory, thawed

1¹/₂ cups (24 tablespoons) soy margarine, melted

2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar

1 lemon, seeded and thinly sliced

1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place walnuts on a baking sheet, and toast for 5 to 7 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove the pan from the oven, and combine nuts, ¹/₂ cup sugar, cinnamon, and cloves in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Chop very finely using on-and-off pulsing, or by hand.

2. Increase the oven temperature to 375°F, and grease a 12 x 16-inch rimmed baking sheet pan. Place phyllo on a plate, and cover it with plastic wrap or a damp paper towel to keep it from drying out.

3. Place 1 sheet of phyllo in the baking pan, and brush with melted margarine. Repeat with 7 other sheets, and sprinkle with ¹/₃ of nut mixture. Place 4 more sheets of phyllo on top of nut mixture, brushing each with margarine. Sprinkle with ¹/₃ of nut mixture, and then repeat. Top last round of nut mixture with remaining sheets of phyllo, brushing each, including the top one, with margarine. Trim edges to make a neat rectangle.

4. Cut pastry into 2-inch squares or triangles through the three nut layers. Do not cut through the bottom crust. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top layer of phyllo is brown.

5. Prepare syrup while pastry bakes. Combine brown sugar, 1¹/₂ cups water, lemon, and cinnamon stick in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer syrup for 10 minutes. Strain syrup, and keep hot.

6. Remove the pan from the oven and immediately pour hot syrup over the baklava. Place pan on a cooling rack, and cool to room temperature. Cut through bottom layer of crust once cooled.

Note: Keep cookies in an airtight container, layered between sheets of waxed paper or parchment, at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Variation:

Substitute pecans, macadamia nuts, or almonds for the walnuts.

Pastry brushes are expensive, but paintbrushes are cheap. Any natural-bristle paintbrush can be used as a pastry brush. But don’t use a foam rubber brush; those are not safe for food preparation.