• Read my tips and the full recipe before you start, and check the step-by-step photos, they’ll really help!

Clarifying the butter

• Melt the butter over low heat then remove the foam that forms on the surface.
• Let it rest for a few moments until the whey settles at the bottom.
• Carefully pour the clarified butter into another container, avoiding transferring the sediment at the bottom.

Prepare the stuffing

• Coarsely grind the pistachios to obtain fairly small grains.
• Mix them with sugar and orange blossom water. The texture should form a ball when pressed in the hand, but it should crumble when pressed.

Preparing the baklavas

• Carefully unroll a roll of filo pastry sheets.
• If the sheets are larger than the pan, you can cut them to the size of the pan from the start, adjust them as you go, or cut them after layering all the bottom sheets.
• Place a first sheet at the bottom of the mold, then brush it with melted butter. Place a second sheet on top and brush it with butter as well.
• Continue in this way, overlapping 13 sheets at the bottom, buttering every other sheet (you can use up to 15 sheets).
• If the butter starts to solidify, reheat it slightly.
• Note: Many chefs do not butter the sheets as they go. They directly stack the 13 bottom sheets, add the filling, cover with the other sheets, then, once the baklava is cut, they pour all the melted butter over it.

  I haven't tried this method yet, but I will soon, as it's simpler. This method avoids handling the filo pastry sheets too much.
• Spread the pistachio filling evenly over the pastry, pressing it well, then stack 13 more sheets on top (the number of sheets should be the same as the bottom layer or slightly more)
• Proceed in the same way as at the bottom, overlapping the filo sheets, one buttered and one not buttered.
• Butter the last sheet, then, using a well-sharpened knife or a cutter, cut off the excess pastry on the sides if you haven't done so before (see photo below)
• Cut the baklava into squares, holding the sheets with a ruler to prevent them from moving.
• Pour the remaining butter over the entire surface to thoroughly soak the layers.

Baking

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F) with static heat.
• Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the surface is golden brown.
• Be careful not to brown it too much, as the pistachios may darken and lose their pretty green color.
• Before taking the baklava out of the oven, mix the honey, water, and orange blossom water, then warm the mixture on the stove.
• Remove the baklava from the oven, tilt the mold to check if there's any melted butter. If so, remove it with a spoon.
• Pour the warm honey or syrup over the hot baklava, then decorate each square with a bit of crushed pistachios.
• Let it absorb for at least 6 hours, preferably leave it to rest until the next day.
• After this time, run the knife through again to properly cut the squares and place them in paper cups.
• If you opt for the syrup, prepare it at the beginning, before starting, or during baking. Make sure to warm it up if it has cooled before pouring it over the baklava.

To prepare the syrup:

• Mix sugar, water, lemon juice, cardamom seeds, and orange blossom water in a saucepan, then bring to a boil over low heat, stirring occasionally.
• Let it simmer for about ten minutes. Allow to cool slightly before pouring over the hot baklava.