Turkish Pistachio Baklava From Betül Tunç
Let me bring you the culinary secret of my family’s baklava master, my eldest sister. Prior to starting the baklava recipe trials for this book, I phoned her for a novice-friendly recipe since I hadn’t ventured into this territory because it involves cornstarch, and I cannot stand how it feels. So, with gloved hands, I bravely started my baklava journey, and the result is an easy-to-make masterpiece that you’ll roll out with nothing more than a simple roller.
Baklava is a world-renowned Turkish dessert, with two traditional preparation methods. The bakery version involves thin sheets of dough rolled out by master bakers, a challenging process for many home cooks. However, there’s a homestyle baklava that involves a more forgiving dough, softened by ingredients such as oil, milk, and occasionally yogurt. Today, I present to you the finest version of this homestyle baklava, loaded with delicious Turkish pistachios. Personally, I relish the deeply aromatic tones that Turkish pistachios bring to baklava, but feel free to substitute walnuts or regular pistachios. Serve with Turkish coffee or tea.
Photo by Betül Tunç
INGREDIENTS
Makes 14 to 18
DOUGH
¾ cup (165 grams) milk, at room temperature
1 large egg
2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter, melted
¼ cup (55 grams) neutral oil
1 tablespoon (14 grams) apple cider vinegar
3 cups (390 grams) all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
SYRUP
2½ cups granulated sugar
2½ cups water
⅛ teaspoon salt
¼ lemon
TO FINISH
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter
¼ cup neutral oil
1½ cups cornstarch for rolling
1½ cups coarsely ground Turkish Antep pistachios
METHOD
MAKE THE DOUGH: In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, melted butter, oil, and vinegar. Add the flour and salt. Using your hand shaped like a claw, stir and squeeze the ingredients together for 2 to 3 minutes until everything begins to come together. Turn the dough out onto a work surface. Using your hands, perform the basic kneading technique and knead for 6 to 8 minutes, until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 1½ hours at room temperature.
Return the dough to the work surface and continue to knead for 3 to 5 minutes. Return to the bowl, cover, and let rest for an additional 1½ to 2 hours.
MAKE THE SYRUP: In a saucepan, stir to combine the sugar, water, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and once boiling, squeeze the lemon juice into the syrup and throw in the lemon rind. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 11 to 13 minutes. Test for doneness by dipping a teaspoon into the syrup. Shake off the excess syrup and then hold the teaspoon above the saucepan. If the remaining syrup slowly drips off the spoon, the syrup is ready. If it falls quickly, continue to simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the syrup from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll the dough into a log and use a sharp knife or bench scraper to cut it into 20 equal portions. Round each piece of dough into a smooth ball. Place each ball on a plate as you work and cover with plastic wrap to avoid drying out.
TO FINISH: In a small saucepan, melt the butter and add the oil, mixing to combine. Set aside.
Lightly cover the work surface with cornstarch and place a ball of dough on the surface. Using a rolling pin, roll into a 6-to-7-inch round. Add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch on top of the dough round and use your hands to cover the dough evenly. Repeat this process with each ball of dough, stacking the rounds in groups of 2 and making sure each is covered with cornstarch. As you go, you can shingle each group of 2 on top of each other, so in total you have 10 stacks by the end.
Beginning with the first stack of 2 dough rounds, use a long rolling pin or Turkish oklava to roll the dough into an 18-to-20-inch round. Sprinkle with additional cornstarch as necessary for easy rolling. Place a 9×13-inch baking dish on top of the large round. Using a sharp knife, trace the bottom of the baking dish into the dough and cut. Place the dough rectangle into the base of the dish. Piece together the dough scraps on top of the bottom rectangle as the second layer of dough. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the butter mixture over the dough layers. Repeat this process until you have added 4 of the dough stacks. At this point, spread ½ cup of the Turkish pistachios evenly over the dough. Roll out 2 more dough stacks and repeat the shaping process. Add another ½ cup of the Turkish pistachios and continue to roll and add dough layers until all the dough has been used.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Using a sharp knife, cut the baklava into 1½-inch squares. Pour the remaining butter evenly over the top, being careful to avoid the milk solids on the bottom of the pan.
Bake the baklava until golden brown, 45 to 50 minutes.
Let rest for 2 to 3 minutes before pouring the cooled syrup over the hot baklava. Set aside at room temperature to allow the syrup to fully soak in, 4 to 5 hours or overnight.
Serve with remaining pistachios beneath and on top of the baklava pieces.
Check Out Betül’s Cookbook
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