Savor The Sweet Taste Of The Mediterranean With Baklava
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The eastern Mediterranean region is known for its delicious food. Whether it's Greek dolmades, Turkish kebabs, Lebanese tabbouleh or Israeli hummus and falafel, it's as if a bite into one of the regional specialties is a bite into pure sunshine. Often there are dishes that are found throughout the area but with slight variations depending on where you are. One of these is a heavenly dessert best known as baklava.
The heavenly dessert is a moist, sweet dish that tastes like sunshine. It's quite simple too. Pastry and nuts are layered in a large baking dish, cut into smaller shapes and baked. A fragrant syrup is then poured over.
The heavenly dish is often thought of as Greek. However, its origins seem to be Turkish. The Topkapi Palace where the rulers of the Ottoman Empire lived is the place where imaginative cooks perfected a treat that would remain popular centuries later. Many of the countries that were once part of the Ottoman Empire have their own versions of the syrupy treat and you'll find it throughout the eastern Mediterranean as well as in Central Asia.
To make the delectable treat, you need filo pastry. Use several layers and separate them with melted butter or a bit of oil. Albanians often add the yolk of an egg or two to the dough for added richness. Greeks believe that there should be 33 layers of dough to symbolize the number of years that Christ spent among people.
The layers of pastry are alternated with layers of chopped nuts. Some recipes only use one layer of nuts in the center while others call for several layers. Most typically, walnuts, hazelnuts or pistachios are used but some people prefer chopped almonds. The nuts are often mixed with sugar and spices such as cinnamon or cloves for extra flavor.
Before the pastry is baked, it is cut. Triangles, lozenges or rectangles are the most common shapes used but in some places you may use diamond shapes. The syrup is then prepared from sugar, water and flavoring agents such as honey, rose water or orange flower water. It is poured over the pastry as soon as it comes out of the oven and allowed to soak through all the layers. A thin layer of chopped nuts sprinkled on top completes the dish.
Because the sweet treat is so rich, it's usually made only for special occasions. It's a popular wedding dessert but is often served to end the evening meal during the month of Ramadan or for Eid to mark the end of the fasting period too. Christians often serve it at Christmas or Easter. You can enjoy it hot or cold but it's most commonly served at room temperature. If you want, include a bit of ice cream or cream. A cup of strong coffee goes perfectly with the syrupy sweetness.
Recipes abound and you'll find them in Mediterranean or Middle Eastern cookbooks or online. However, you don't need to make the delicious dessert from scratch. Simply visit a deli or restaurant specializing in the cuisines of Mediterranean or Central Asian countries and buy a few slices of sheer heaven which you can enjoy right there and then.
The heavenly dessert is a moist, sweet dish that tastes like sunshine. It's quite simple too. Pastry and nuts are layered in a large baking dish, cut into smaller shapes and baked. A fragrant syrup is then poured over.
The heavenly dish is often thought of as Greek. However, its origins seem to be Turkish. The Topkapi Palace where the rulers of the Ottoman Empire lived is the place where imaginative cooks perfected a treat that would remain popular centuries later. Many of the countries that were once part of the Ottoman Empire have their own versions of the syrupy treat and you'll find it throughout the eastern Mediterranean as well as in Central Asia.
To make the delectable treat, you need filo pastry. Use several layers and separate them with melted butter or a bit of oil. Albanians often add the yolk of an egg or two to the dough for added richness. Greeks believe that there should be 33 layers of dough to symbolize the number of years that Christ spent among people.
The layers of pastry are alternated with layers of chopped nuts. Some recipes only use one layer of nuts in the center while others call for several layers. Most typically, walnuts, hazelnuts or pistachios are used but some people prefer chopped almonds. The nuts are often mixed with sugar and spices such as cinnamon or cloves for extra flavor.
Before the pastry is baked, it is cut. Triangles, lozenges or rectangles are the most common shapes used but in some places you may use diamond shapes. The syrup is then prepared from sugar, water and flavoring agents such as honey, rose water or orange flower water. It is poured over the pastry as soon as it comes out of the oven and allowed to soak through all the layers. A thin layer of chopped nuts sprinkled on top completes the dish.
Because the sweet treat is so rich, it's usually made only for special occasions. It's a popular wedding dessert but is often served to end the evening meal during the month of Ramadan or for Eid to mark the end of the fasting period too. Christians often serve it at Christmas or Easter. You can enjoy it hot or cold but it's most commonly served at room temperature. If you want, include a bit of ice cream or cream. A cup of strong coffee goes perfectly with the syrupy sweetness.
Recipes abound and you'll find them in Mediterranean or Middle Eastern cookbooks or online. However, you don't need to make the delicious dessert from scratch. Simply visit a deli or restaurant specializing in the cuisines of Mediterranean or Central Asian countries and buy a few slices of sheer heaven which you can enjoy right there and then.
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