Turkish Baklava: A Step-by-Step Recipe with Photos

Turkish baklava (Baklava) is an Eastern sweet originally from Turkey, which can now be enjoyed in Moscow, Paris, London, or any other capital city around the world. Moreover, with a detailed step-by-step recipe, you can even make traditional Turkish baklava at home.

Turkish Baklava: A Step-by-Step Recipe for Making at Home

Nutritional value per serving

424 kcal

Proteins: 3.8 g
Fats: 22.0 g
Carbohydrates: 52.7 g

*Nutritional value is calculated per 100g of ingredients

Total time: 1 hour
Time in the kitchen: 1 hour
Complexity:

It's easy and straightforward to prepare, but it does require some experience. Not everyone can do it right the first time.
Number of servings: 40

Baklava is a sweet dish prepared in many Eastern countries. Naturally, each country has its own unique twist on this dessert:

Turkish baklava is made from the thinnest unleavened filo dough;
Greek - made from thicker puff pastry with added spices;
Armenian – made from thin dough with spices;
Azerbaijani – based on yeast dough;
Iranian - impregnated with rose water;
Crimean – based on shortcrust or fluffy yeast dough.

All types of baklava are presented in the "Oriental Sweets" section, so you can try each one and choose which version you like best—thin or fluffy, with walnuts or pistachios, with natural honey or rose water.

On the pages of our website there is already a simple classic recipe “Turkish baklava"So today we'll tell you step-by-step how to make delicious pistachio baklava at home.

Typically, pistachio Turkish baklava is baked in the oven and served in small rolls, as pictured.

To make authentic Turkish baklava, you'll need a special unleavened filo pastry. Making it yourself is quite difficult, so it's best to buy it frozen at a specialty store. If you can't find the right kind of pastry in your local supermarket, you can follow the classic baklava recipe using puff pastry, rolling it out as thinly as possible.

Homemade Turkish baklava with pistachios

Pistachio Turkish Baklava – A Simple Step-by-Step Recipe with Photos

Ingredients

Servings

Filo dough

10 pcs
Pistachios

300 G
Walnut

300 G
Butter

180 G
Vegetable oil

90 G
Sugar

500 G
Water

300 ml
Cardamom

3 pcs
Cinnamon sticks

1 pcs
Lemon

1 pcs

Preparation

Step 1

Let's start making Turkish pistachio baklava by preparing the nut filling. Grind 300 grams of oven-roasted pistachios in a blender until they form fine crumbs. If you prefer, you can leave the pieces larger; the result will be just as delicious.

Step 2

We also grind 300 grams of roasted walnuts.

Please note! Grind walnuts in short bursts, otherwise you risk ending up with a paste rather than nut crumbs.

If you want to get the maximum pistachio flavor, just take 500-600 grams of pistachios (without walnuts).

Step 3

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine 180 grams of butter and 90 grams of vegetable oil. Place over high heat and heat until the butter melts (do not boil).

Step 4

Thin unleavened dough must be defrosted naturally by simply placing it in the refrigerator for a few hours.

Step 5

Generously grease the first sheet of dough with oil.

Step 6

Next, sprinkle the sheet generously with pistachios.

Step 7

Fold the edge of the dough over once or twice and begin to wind the dough onto a round strip with a diameter of 1 cm.

Step 8

The dough should be rolled loosely, so that the strip can be removed later. Once the rolling is complete, the dough is pressed slightly on both sides to fit the baking pan in which the baklava will be baked.

Step 9

All that remains is to remove the wooden strip and place the roll in a baking dish, as shown in the photo.

Step 10

We repeat the same procedure, only we use crushed walnuts as the filling.

Step 11

If desired, you can make rolls with pistachios and walnuts separately, or mix the nut fillings. You should end up with 10 rolls.

Step 12

Next, cut the pieces into servings. They can be longer or shorter, depending on your preference.

Turkish baklava is baked from filo dough. 30-40 minutes at 180℃.

Step 13

While the baklava is baking, prepare the syrup. Combine 500 grams of sugar and 300 ml of water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan.

Step 14

Add 3 cardamom seeds, a cinnamon stick, and a third of a lemon. Bring the syrup to a boil over medium heat and simmer for a few minutes. Remove from heat and discard any flavored ingredients.

Step 15

Remove the finished baklava from the oven and immediately pour a generous amount of hot syrup over it.

Step 16

All that remains is to decorate our incredibly delicious dessert with pistachios, cool and serve.

When making this recipe at home, it's important to remember that Turkish baklava, made with natural ingredients, has a significantly shorter shelf life than store-bought versions. The shelf life of this homemade oriental dessert without refrigeration (at a temperature of up to 18°C and a relative humidity of up to 75%) is up to two weeks. Storing baklava in the refrigerator is not recommended, as cold temperatures will quickly cause the syrup to crystallize, altering the dessert's flavor.

Pistachio baklava is served cold. The dessert itself is so beautiful that it would look great even on a regular plate. However, if possible, it's certainly better to arrange the rolls beautifully on a platter or tray, as in the photo.