recipe#1
BAKLAVA
(note: OK, not a traditional scandinavian recipe, but norsevolk ken a good thing when they spy it, so i stole it from a greek cookbook...)
just buy the strudel leaves (greek = phyllo, filo) from a middle-eastern store (or in the grocery freezer section next to the frozen pie-shells, mmmkay? usually the come in 1 pound boxes - shucks, weber's had whole wheat phyllo!!) & defrost 'em ovenight (at least) & then let the box sit a room temperature while you get the rest of the stuff ready...
the rest of the stuff:
filling
clarified butter
sweet syrup topping
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filling:
at least 2 cups of chopped nuts (unsalted, & raw if available) --- almonds, pistachios, walnuts, pecans, filberts, macadamias (!?!)
maybe 1/4 cup of sugar
a teaspoon or so of cinnamon powder
a teaspoon of dried lemon peel (you could "zest" a citrus peel if you want, or just skip it)
& some cloves on the side( to act as little nails when you are assembling this layered pastry...)
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clarified butter (a.k.a. "ghee")
(this can be prepped beforehand; leftover OK in fridge for a week or so, & freezer for months):
melt a whole bunch of "unsalted" butter
skim off the froth at the top (mostly milk-stuff & salt; you can save it for popcorn or cookies or an omlette or something if you want to)
carefully decant the clear layer (pure butterfat, mmmmm) into a clean (pre-warmed if the butterfat ("ghee") is still hot) jar
the liquid at the bottom is watery stuff (sorta like whey?) & can be pitched, fed to pets, used in the next batch of cookies or omlettes, whatever...
when you are ready to use the clarified butter for the baklava, warm it up gently until it is clear again (maybe in a double-boiler/water bath so it will stay liquid-y whilst you are doing up the layers, eh?)
it can be applied with a pastry brush, or just drizzled onto the sheets of phyllo & spread with a bit of paper towel, or even with nimble fingers
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the syrup:
(this can be cooked up while the pastry is baking in the oven, mmmkay?)
2 cups sugar
2 cups honey
1 cup water
(& maybe a cinnamon stick while simmering, or a shot of brandy or liquer when all done simmering)
stir over medium heat until dissolved
bring to low low boil (be careful - it likes to boil over!!!)
simmer for maybe 45 minutes or so...
you can drop test spoonfuls into icewater & see how "done" it is... do you want drippy pastry, when all done, or sorta carmelly, or actually sorta hard & chewy???
remember, the sauce will continue to cook for a little while after you pour it on the hot "dry" pastry right after you pull that outa the oven...
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okay, pre-heat the oven (to ~ 350 deg F)
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assembling the layers:
butter the baking vessel - a big baking tray could hold the whole pound of phyllo & all the stuff, or 2 smaller baking trays...
lay down a couple sheets & then butter (w/ pastry brush, paper towel or by hand) those sheets, then do it again until about 1/3 of the sheets are used up...
pour about half of the nut filling in there...
then start laying down more sheets & buttering every couple-three layers, until another third of the sheets are used up (any phyllo bits that break off or overhang the edge too much can be put right in there)...
put the rest of the nut filling in there...
then layer down the rest of the sheets, buttering as needed...
when the last couple sheets are on top, fold into the sides any excess phyllo leaf hanging over the edge..
now, get a sharp knife & slice part-ways thru the layers along the long axis of your baking try, & then on a diagonal (to make nice diamond shapes)...
poke into the center of each diamond a clove-bud (helps hold it together, adds flaver, acts a s a preservative)
drizzle as much of the remaining clarified butter onto the surface as you desire
pop the baking tray into the oven (middle layer)(if you have a lwer rack you could put a cookie sheet under so as the sorta "protect" the very bottom of the pastry from scorching)
~
while the pastry is baking, the syrup is simmering...
after about 40 minutes, check the color - it should be a light golden brown - certainly by 45 or 50 minutes...
pull from oven, carefully pour the hot syrup onto the pastry...
allow to cool & cover (doesn't really need refrigeration if eaten within a few days & kept well-covered)...
slice thru to the bottom of the tray along the diamond pattern & maybe serve onto little cupcake-thingies or onto a snack/dessert tray, whatever...