Baklava is so moreish – leave a plate on the coffee table at your next celebration and watch the pieces disappear.
Equipment and preparation: for this recipe you will need a Swiss roll tin (or similar) measuring 32x22x2cm/13x9x1in.
Ingredients
- 9 medium
carrots, peeled, coarsely grated - 2 tsp
sea salt flakes - 125g/4½oz peeled
pistachios, roughly chopped - 1 tsp ground
cinnamon - ½
orange, juice and zest - ½
lemon, juice and zest - 3 tbsp
ground almonds - 3
star anise - 150g/5oz clear
honey - 250g/9oz
caster sugar - 150g/5oz unsalted
butter, melted - 500g/1lb 2oz ready-made
filo pastry
Recommended wine
Method
-
Gather the grated carrot into a clean tea towel, sprinkle with the salt and set aside for at least an hour, or ideally overnight, so that the salt can absorb the moisture from the carrots.
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Squeeze the carrots in the tea towel to remove any excess moisture, then transfer the carrot to a bowl and stir in the pistachios, ground cinnamon, orange and lemon zest and ground almonds until well combined. Set aside.
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Heat the star anise, honey and sugar in a heavy-based saucepan until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is just coming up to the boil.
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Add the lemon and orange juices, and 200ml/7fl oz water, stir well, then remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool completely.
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Strain the cooled syrup through a fine sieve into a bowl, then cover and chill in the fridge until needed.
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Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
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Grease the inside of the baking tin with a little of the melted butter. Working quickly, brush each sheet of filo pastry all over with melted butter. Arrange one-third of the filo sheets in layers at the bottom of the baking tin.
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Spread half of the carrot mixture in an even layer on top of the filo pastry. Arrange half of the remaining buttered filo sheets on top of the carrot mixture.
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Repeat the process with the remaining carrot mixture and top with the remaining sheets of buttered filo pastry. Trim the edges of the pastry block using a sharp knife.
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Cut the baklava into equally sized diamond shapes, about 5cm/2in across, then transfer the baking tin to the oven and bake the baklava for 35-40 minutes, or until the pastry is crisp, puffed up and golden-brown.
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Remove the baklava from the oven and pour over half of the chilled syrup. Set aside for 5 minutes to soak, then pour over the remaining syrup. Set aside to cool slightly, then serve.
Recommended wine
Beer recommendations: Beavertown Neck Oil Session IPA, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and Shepherd Neame Bishops Finger Kentish Strong Ale.