Pistachio and Rose Petal Baklava

Pistachio and Rose Petal Baklava

8-10 servings

Baklava, the most cherished confection of the East, is a pastry made of extra thin sheets of dough layered with treats such as peanuts, pistachios, honey, sugar, exotic spices, and sometimes a dollop of heavy cream. The art of making baklava has been passed on from generation to generation, and each baklava producer has their own secrets of the trade. Though baklava originated in the Fertile Crescent, it was perfected in Greece and Turkey, where bakers used paper-thin dough known as filo, or “leaf,” to make the most commonly known version of baklava. However, in the following recipe we use puff pastry instead of filo.

At the market

2 cups pistachios, coarsely ground

½ cup dried rose petals

½ cup lemon juice

1 kg (2 lbs) puff pastry

For the syrup

1 cup water

1¼ cups sugar

1 teaspoon rosewater

In the kitchen

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a baking tray with parchment paper.

Combine the ground pistachios, rose petals, and lemon juice in a bowl to form a wet, grainy mixture. Reserve ½ cup of the mixture to use later as garnish.

Roll the puff pastry into a long rectangle about 3-mm (1/10-inch) thick and place it on the baking tray. On one narrow end of the dough, arrange the pistachio-rose filling in a line about 3-4-cm (1-1½-inches) wide and fold the dough over it. Arrange another line of filling on top of the fold and fold the dough over it again. Repeat this until the dough is shaped like an accordion, with filling in between the folds. Set the dough in the center of the baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes until golden.

Meanwhile, prepare the syrup: Bring the water and sugar to a boil in a pot and cook for 10 minutes over a medium heat until the syrup thickens slightly. Add the rosewater and remove from the heat. 

When the dough is baked, slowly pour the syrup on top until the baklava is nicely soaked but doesn’t fall apart. Let cool a little and garnish with the reserved pistachio and rose petals mixture.

Slice along the curves and serve with thick yogurt and jam.