Baklava (pastry)

Total Time: 3 hrs Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb ground almonds
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 2 teaspoons melted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon rind

Recipe

• 1 combine beaten egg, milk, 2 t. melted butter, and vanilla; mix with flour. when dough is smooth, cover and set aside for 15 minutes. then divide dough into quarters or sixths and roll paper thin on a well-floured board. allow dough sheets to dry on waxed paper before using. lightly butter a glass baking dish (6x9). mix filling ingredients together in small bowl (ground almonds, 1 cup sugar, and 1/3 cup melted butter). cut pastry sheets 6x9" to fit in dish. (if sheets are joined, moisten seams with water to seal.) place first pastry sheet in dish, brush with almond filling, and repeat in 6-8 layers, ending with pastry. press filled pastry until firm, then brush with melted butter and cut into 1 x 2" rectangles. on middle oven shelf, bake about 2 hours at 300* or until golden brown (place a pan of boiling water on oven's bottom shelf). for last 15 minutes of baking time, simmer syrup (1/3 cup sugar, honey,water, lemon juice and lemon rind) until sugar is dissolved. remove baklava from oven, re-cut it, and pour syrup over it. remove from pan. store in tightly covered container.