BAKLAVA

              Ingredients                 Measure          Amount

            Sugar                        2 cups             585 g
            Water                        2 cups            500 ml
            Lemon juice                  2 teaspoons         10 g
            All-purpose flour          4 1/3 cups           500 g
            Eggs                         2 medium size      100 g
            Oil                          1 tablespoon        15 g
            Salt                       1 1/2 teaspoons        9 g
            Lemon juice                1 1/2 teaspoons      7.5 g
            Water                       1/3 cup             80 ml
            Starch                      2/3 cup              80 g
            Pistachionuts                2 cups             220 g
            Butter or
             margarine                   2 cups             500 g

Combine sugar and water in a saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Boil gently for 5 minutes. Add lemon juice; stir. Boil for 1 minute. Set aside. Sift flour in a large bowl. Make a hole in center. Add eggs, oil, salt, lemon juice and water. Blend well. Make a medium stiff dough. Knead for 5 minutes or until smooth. Let stand covered for 5 minutes. Roll and cut dough into 20 pieces. Shape into balls. Cover balls with napkin. Roll each ball out as thin as tissue paper with rolling pin (or a smooth long stick 1 1/2 cm (3/4 inch) in diameter if available). Sprinkle with starch each time while rolling. Pack flrst 10 rolled sheets on top of another sprinkling with starch between sheets. Set aside. Repeat the same with the remaining balls. Place first pack in an ungreased round baking pan 38-40 cm (16 inch) in diameter, 5 cm (2 inch) deep, one by one. Brush off starch while spreading sheets (if same size baking pan is not available use any other, but trim pastry layers to fit into your pan). Spread crushed pistachionuts over pastries. Place other half in the same manner. Trim overhanging edges with a knife to fit layers into baking pan. Use trimmed layers evenly. Cut layered pastries into 4-5 cm (1 1/2-2 inch) squares or diamonds (or oblongs or triangles) with a French knife. Pour heated butter over pastry. Bake in a moderate oven for 50 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven. Pour cold syrup over hot pastries. Cover and cool. Serve.

10 servings

Nutritive Value (Approx. per serving):

     Energy ........:  425 cal   Sodium .........:  190 mg
     Protein .......:    6.4 g   Vitamin A ......:  479 iu
     Fat ...........:   19.5 g   Thiamin (Bl) ...:  0.11 mg
     Carbohydrate ..:   58.2 g   Riboflavin (B2).:  0.04 mg
     Calcium .......:    27 mg   Niacin .........:  0.45 mg
     Iron ..........:  1.31 mg   Vitamin C ......:   - mg
     Phosphorus ....:   100 mg
     Zinc ..........:     1 mg   Cholesterol ....:   58 mg

Baklava is a national dessert well-known throughout the country. However, best baklava is produced in Ga- ziantep in every bakery shop. They also make "Dry Baklava" using less syrup. This type can be preserved for a long time. For filling, walnuts or clotted cream may be used instead of pistachionuts.