Pistachio & Orange Baklava

Ingredients

Directions (makes about 40 pieces)

1. Butter the base and sides of a 9 x 13 inch deep tin.
2. First, make the filling. In a food processor, blitz the pistachios until they are medium ground – you still want to see a few medium sized lumps and you do not want to turn it into a fine powder.
3. Next, add the sugar, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, lemon zest and orange peel. Blitz again for about 30 seconds and set aside.
4. Cut your filo sheets to size, it’s okay to patch it up as you go along. Keep the filo under a damp towel to stop it drying out.
5. Lay 1 sheet of filo at the base of the tin and brush over the whole surface evenly with melted butter. I found it easier to use a silicone pastry brush.
6. Lay another sheet of filo and brush with butter. Carry on until you have 6 layers of filo, each brushed with butter.
7. Sprinkle over 1/3 pistachio mixture and push down to get an even surface and to help the nuts adhere to the filo underneath.
8. Add another sheet of filo, brush with butter and repeat twice more, totaling 3 sheets of filo brushed with butter.
9. Sprinkle over another 1/3 of the pistachio mixture as before.
10. Add another sheet of filo, brush with butter and repeat twice more, totaling 3 sheets of filo brushed with butter in between the layers.
11. Sprinkle over the last 1/3 of the pistachio mixture and finally, top with another 6 sheets of filo brushed with butter in between the layers.
12. Brush a little extra butter on the top layer. Please note, you may not need to use all your butter (I had about 3-4 tbsp leftover).
13. So to re-cap, you have 6 layers of filo – 1/3 pistachio – 3 layers of filo – 1/3 pistachio – 3 layers of filo – 1/3 pistachio – 6 layers of filo, with all the layers brushed with butter.
14. Chill for 1 hr in the fridge.
15. Cut your filo with a sharp knife in the desired pattern. I cut mine horizontally at 1.5 inch intervals, and then again diagonally.
16. Chill for another 20 minutes.
17. Pre-heat the oven to 160c fan.
18. Next, make the syrup. In a medium sized saucepan combine all the ingredients. Place over a medium-high heat and simmer for 5 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved. Set aside.
19. Bake the baklava for 40-50 minutes until golden brown.
20. Leave to cool for 20 minutes.
21. Remove the cinnamon and cardamom from the syrup. Pour the syrup down the lines and sides of the baklava. Make sure it comes to a few millimeters below the top of the pastry; you may not need to use all the syrup.
22. Leave to set for several hours at room temperate, (I left mine overnight).
23. Decorate with the chopped pistachios and orange peel and enjoy.