Baklava is a very popular Turkish sweet dating back to Ottoman Empire, made with flaky & thin filo pastries, nuts, and syrup. My super easy Turkish Pistachio Baklava (Fistikli Baklava in Turkish) recipe is perfect for you if you want to learn how to make your homemade version.
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This classic Turkish sweet "baklava" made with ready-made filo pastries is perfect for you if you don't have time to make your filo pastry sheets. However, if you want to learn how to make authentic baklava from scratch, check my Homemade Turkish Baklava Recipe out.
Same as Russian Honey Cake - Medovik, Fistikli Baklava is the perfect dessert for holidays such as Eid, Easter or Christmas, or any other special occasion. Although layering all these filo pastries might look intimidating, this is possibly one of the easiest & quickest desserts to make for a celebration.
This fool-proof recipe will help you make Turkish Baklava like a pro with step-by-step pictures and a video tutorial.
If you love desserts made with syrup, you might also want to check out these delicious Turkish desserts Kunefe (Kunafa) - Turkish Cheese Dessert, Sekerpare (Turkish Semolina Cookies), and Revani (Turkish Semolina Cake).
What is Baklava?
Baklava is one of the most popular desserts dating back to the Ottomans. It is made with layers of thin flaky filo pastries filled with nuts and soaked in simple syrup.
Although many Meditteranean and Middle Eastern countries have their own versions of baklava, they all are made with four basic ingredients: Filo pastry, butter, nuts, and syrup. You can easily tweak it and create your version to make your unique baklava sweet.
Turkish Baklava vs Greek Baklava
Turkish baklava is generally made of walnuts or pistachio nuts and rarely hazelnuts (mostly north part of Turkey), and never a mixture of nuts!
Greek baklava is made with almonds & walnuts, or a mixture of both mixed with cinnamon.
Also, Greek baklava uses honey for the syrup while Turkish Baklava uses simple syrup made with an equal amount of water and sugar and a few drops of lemon juice.
Why This Recipe Works?
- Pistachio Baklava is very easy to make with only a handful of ingredients: filo pastry, butter, nuts, and sugar!
- It is the ultimate party food and a real crowd-pleaser: this recipe will give you seventy pieces of diamond-shaped scrumptious pistachio baklavas!
- Baklava is the perfect dessert for making ahead, actually, it tastes much better after a day or two.
- Turkish Pistachio Baklava freezes beautifully. If this is too many baklavas for you, portion them in an airtight container and keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Ingredients and Substitutes
What is The Best Butter For Pistachio Baklava?
It is essential to clarify the butter before using it as the milk solids will burn quickly and will give black spots on the baklava. Alternatively, you can use ghee.
Use a good quality unsalted butter and don't skimp on it! There are only a few ingredients needed to make this indulgent & rich dessert so make sure you use the best quality ones for the best results.
What Filo Pastry to Use For Pistachio Baklava?
Use paper-thin filo sheets, not thick ones. I buy the Au Ble D'or brand here in the UK which is perfect for making baklava. They are sold fresh so there is no need to defrost them.
You can also find filo pastry in the freezer section of most large grocery shops. They are usually near the frozen pie crust and puff pastry.
If you want to be adventurous and make your own filo pastry for Pistachio Baklava, check my Homemade Turkish Baklava Recipe to learn how to make authentic Baklava from scratch.
- Pistachio - They are one of the most common nuts used for making baklava. You can substitute it with walnuts or hazelnuts. I slightly roast them in a preheated oven to 150° C (300° F) for 20 minutes before blitzing for a more intense flavor.
- Lemon - A few drops of lemon juice are used to prevent the syrup from crystallizing. Don't use too much lemon juice as it will destroy the taste of the baklava.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Baklava is one of those desserts that has a reputation for difficulty but is actually surprisingly easy to make with a few tips and steps:
Prepare the Syrup
Start with preparing the simple syrup and let it cool down while layering the filo sheets. Place the water and sugar in a pan and put on medium heat.
Stir it until the sugar dissolves, bring it to a boil, and let it gently simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Add a few drops of lemon juice, let it simmer for a few more minutes, and then remove the pan from heat.
Layer the Baklava
Preheat the oven to 175° C (350° F). Trim the filo sheets to fit a tray size of 24cm x 35 cm (9" x 13.5"). Trim one pack of filo at a time and then cover them with a damp towel to avoid them from drying out.
Mix the melted clarified butter and vegetable oil in a bowl. Place one filo sheet into the pan and then drizzle a spoon of the butter mixture over it.
You don’t need to brush each layer thoroughly. Repeat the same until you finish the first pack of filo pastry. You should have around 28-30 layers. Spread the pistachio nuts over filo pastry layers and then press them down lightly.
Trim the other pack of filo pastry sheets and then continue the layering and buttering process.
Portion the Baklava
It’s essential to do this step before baking your baklava. The pastry will break if you attempt to cut it after baking. Cut the pastry into diamond shapes or squares using a very sharp knife.
First, cut the uncooked baklava into diagonal strips. Make sure you cut all the way through to the bottom layer.
And then cut it vertically which will give you diamond shaped baklava pieces.
You can adjust the size of the pieces to your liking but I usually get about 70 pieces out of one tray when I cut them the size of 4cm (1.5").
Pour any remaining butter mixture over the top to finish.
Bake the Baklava and Soak Overnight
Place the baklava tray into the hot oven (175° C - 350° F fan oven) and then bake it for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 160° C - 320° F and then bake it for another 45 minutes or until it is golden brown on top. Make sure the bottom layers are also cooked through.
Remove the baklava from the oven, let it cool down for 5 minutes, and then slowly pour the cooled syrup over it. Let the baklava soak in syrup overnight before serving.
Top Tips From the Chef
- If using frozen filo pastries, remember to thaw them in the fridge overnight, and also leave them out for half an hour to bring them to room temperature before using them.
- Keep the filo pastries covered with a damp towel after opening the packaging and handle them gently.
- Make the syrup in advance and make sure it is at room temperature before adding it to the freshly baked & hot baklava.
- Use clarified butter to avoid dark & burnt marks on top of the baklava.
- Chop the pistachio nuts finely, without turning into a paste or powder.
- Portion your Pistachio Baklava before baking it, once the phyllo pastry is baked, it gets extremely crispy and impossible to cut without breaking it into a mess.
Serving Suggestions
Traditionally Baklava is served with a cup of Turkish tea or Turkish coffee. You can also serve these delicious pastries along with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of clotted cream!
Recipe FAQs
No, baklava is not vegan due to the use of butter (and some recipes use honey). Butter is the main ingredient that gives the baklava its crispness, and also makes it extremely rich & delicious.
The leftover baklava would keep for up to 3 days at room temperature, 1 week refrigerated or 5 months in the freezer.
Traditionally, Turkish baklava is made with either walnuts or pistachio nuts. However, you can use hazelnuts, pecan nuts, almond or even mixed nuts if you prefer.
Related Recipes
For more delicious Turkish Dessert recipes why not try:
Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.
I hope you enjoy the process of making this easy and scrumptious Pistachio Baklava recipe as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂
Bon appétit! / Afiyet olsun!
Easy Turkish Pistachio Baklava Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Saucepan
Ingredients
For the Syrup
- 1 l water
- 1 kg caster or granulated sugar
- lemon juice (few drops)
For the Baklava
- 2 packs filo pastry (470 grams each)
- 200 g clarified butter (melted)
- 115 ml vegetable oil or sunflower oil
- 400 g pistachio nuts (chopped or blitzed)
Instructions
Preparing the Syrup
- Place the water and sugar in a pan and put on medium heat.
- Stir it until the sugar dissolves, bring it to a boil, and let it gently boil for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Add a few drops of lemon juice, let it simmer for a few more minutes, and then remove the pan from heat.
- Let it cool down while layering the filo sheets.
Building the Baklava
- Preheat the oven to 175 °C - 350° F.
- Trim the filo sheets to fit a tray size of 35cm x 24cm (14" x 9.5"). Trim one pack of filo at a time then cover them with a damp towel to keep them from drying out.
- Mix the melted clarified butter and vegetable oil in a bowl.
- Place one filo sheet into the pan and drizzle a spoon of the butter mixture over it. You don’t need to brush each layer thoroughly.
- Repeat the same until you finish the first pack of filo pastry. You should have around 28-30 layers.
- Spread the pistachio nuts over filo pastry layers and press them down lightly.
- Trim the other pack of filo pastry sheets and continue the layering and buttering process.
- When you reach the last sheet pour any remaining butter mixture over the top to finish.
- Cut the pastry into diamond shapes or squares using a very sharp knife. Make sure you cut all the way through to the bottom layer. You can adjust the size of the pieces to your liking but I usually get about 70 pieces out of one tray when I cut them the size of 4cm (1.5").
- Place the baklava tray into the hot oven (175° C - 350° F fan oven) and bake for 15 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to 160°C - 320° F and bake it for another 45 minutes or until it is golden brown on top. Make sure the bottom layers are cooked through.
- Remove the baklava from the oven, let it cool down for 5 minutes and slowly pour the cooled syrup over it.
- Let the baklava soak in syrup overnight before serving.
Video
Notes
- If using frozen filo pastries, remember to thaw them in the fridge overnight, and also leave them out for half an hour to bring them to room temperature before using them.
- Keep the filo pastries covered with a damp towel after opening the packaging and handle them gently.
- Make the syrup in advance and make sure it is at room temperature before adding it to the freshly baked & hot baklava.
- Use clarified butter to avoid dark & burnt marks on top of the baklava.
- Chop the pistachio nuts finely, without turning them into a paste or powder.
- Portion your Pistachio Baklava before baking it, once the phyllo pastry is baked, it gets extremely crispy and impossible to cut without breaking it into a mess.
- The leftover baklava would keep for up to 3 days at room temperature, 1 week refrigerated, or 5 months in the freezer.
Nutrition
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Emily
Great recipe with perfect step-by-step instructions. I will make this for Christmas, you make it look so easy to make. Thank you for sharing:)
Ayla Clulee
It is my pleasure Emily, I hope you and your family enjoy it 🙂
Rabia
Hey there. I made your baklava, so delicious and spot on! Just like mum used to make. My hubby & kids love it !!!!!
Vero
I made it for the extended family and they couldn't believe that I made Baklava from scratch. It was easy and fun to make. The notes within the recipe also helped keep this fun and stress free.
I will definitely be referring back to this recipe next time as well.
Natasha
Made this for a friend’s birthday per her request and everyone claimed it was the best baklava they’ve ever tasted. I too thought it was incredible.
Barbara
Wonderful!! Easy instructions to follow.Better than any Turkish restaurant I have had.
Jennifer
This recipe is ridiculously simple & tastes better than anything you’d get in a restaurant or pick up in the store. The only downside is waiting after you hear the sizzle of the sauce and letting it cool down.
Christie
I can’t believe how easy and fun this was to make. The notes within the recipe also helped keep this fun and stress free.
I will definitely be referring back to this recipe next time as well.
Cybil
A really delicious after-dinner treat!
Darlene
Best I have ever had! Fabulous recipe!
Celine
This is a great recipe for Baklava! You have to make it. Time consuming but not difficult.
Aisha
Absolutely delicious! Thanks for the recipe it turned out great just like my mom used to make it.
Yasemin
Awesome recipe. I just made it and it’s absolutely delicious! Thank you