Turkish Pistachio Baklava Recipe

5 from 15 votes

Crisp filo pastry layers, finely chopped pistachios, clarified butter, and sweet syrup make this classic Turkish dessert.

Prep Time20

Cook Time1

Total Time1 20

Course: Appetizer, Dessert

Cuisine: Greek, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Turkish

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: pieces

Calories: 167kcal

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.

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. Reheat it in a microwave or in a small pan if necessary.

Cut the pastry into diamond shapes or squares with a very sharp knife. Make sure you cut all the way through to the bottom layer.
I usually cut the pieces around 4 cm, or 1½ inches, and get around 70 pieces from one tray.
Bake the baklava at 175°C, or 350°F, for 15 minutes.
Lower the oven temperature to 160°C, or 320°F, and bake for another 45 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Check that the bottom layers are baked through.

Frozen filo pastry needs to thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Leave it at room temperature for around 30 minutes before using it.
Keep the filo sheets covered with a damp kitchen towel once you open the packaging. Handle them gently so they do not tear.
Use clarified butter or melted ghee. Ordinary melted butter can leave dark marks on the pastry as it bakes.
Reheat the clarified butter and oil mixture in a microwave or small pan if it starts to cool or thicken while you are layering the pastry.
Make the syrup first and let it cool to room temperature before pouring it over the hot baked baklava.
Chop or blitz the pistachios finely, but stop before they turn into a paste or powder.
Cut the tray before baking. Baked filo pastry is very crisp and can break when you try to cut it.
The recipe makes around 70 small pieces when cut at around 4 cm, or 1½ inches.
Baklava is best left overnight before serving.
Keep leftover baklava in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature, 1 week in the refrigerator, or up to 5 months in the freezer.
Let frozen baklava thaw at room temperature. Do not microwave it, as the pastry can become soft.