Fistikli Baklava

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 180 C conventional / 170 C fan. Unroll the phyllo pastry and keep it covered with a barely damp towel so it does not dry out while you work. Finely grind the pistachios to a sandy texture; do not process to a paste, or the layers will become heavy.

   180 g phyllo pastry140 g raw unsalted pistachios, finely ground
2. 2

   Make the syrup first so it can cool before the hot baklava is baked. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water, bring to a boil over medium heat, and stir only until the sugar dissolves. Add the lemon juice, simmer for 5 minutes until lightly syrupy but still thin, then remove from the heat and cool completely.

   120 g granulated sugar90 ml water1 tsp lemon juice
3. 3

   Melt the clarified butter if needed. Brush a small baking tin, about 15 x 20 cm, with a little butter. Trim the phyllo sheets to fit the tin exactly; neat edges help the layers rise evenly and cut cleanly.

   90 g clarified butter180 g phyllo pastry
4. 4

   Lay in 8 sheets of phyllo, brushing each sheet lightly with clarified butter before adding the next. Use enough butter to moisten the surface without soaking it; too much fat will compress the layers instead of crisping them.

   180 g phyllo pastry90 g clarified butter
5. 5

   Sprinkle over half of the ground pistachios in an even, thin layer right to the corners. Add 4 more sheets of phyllo, again brushing each lightly with clarified butter.

   140 g raw unsalted pistachios, finely ground180 g phyllo pastry90 g clarified butter
6. 6

   Spread the remaining pistachios evenly over the second layer. Finish with the remaining phyllo sheets, brushing each sheet with clarified butter, and brush the top generously so it bakes deeply golden.

   140 g raw unsalted pistachios, finely ground180 g phyllo pastry90 g clarified butter
7. 7

   Using a very sharp knife, cut the unbaked baklava all the way through into 8 small diamonds or rectangles. This is essential: if you wait until after baking, the delicate top layers will shatter. Pour any remaining clarified butter evenly over the cut lines and surface.

   90 g clarified butter
8. 8

   Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the top is deep golden brown and the edges are visibly crisp. Rotate the tray once after about 20 minutes for even colouring. If the top browns too fast before the centre is crisp, lower the oven slightly.

9. 9

   As soon as the baklava comes out of the oven, slowly spoon the cooled syrup over the hot pastry, aiming into the cut lines and across the whole surface. You should hear an immediate sizzle. Let it rest for 15 minutes so the syrup is absorbed but the top stays crisp.

   120 g granulated sugar90 ml water1 tsp lemon juice
10. 10

    Re-cut along the lines if needed and serve slightly warm or at room temperature. For the best Antep-style texture, the base should be syrupy and rich while the top layers remain flaky and glass-crisp.

Origin & History

Baklava is one of the great pastries of Ottoman cuisine, refined in palace kitchens and across regional baking traditions. Gaziantep, often called Antep, is especially famous for its pistachio baklava, prized for its vivid green nuts, delicate layering, and use of clarified butter.