Baklava 1 (PAKLAVA / Tertanoush)

-Azniv Charkoudian

Dough:
3 cups flour
1 tsp. B.P.
½ cup milk
½ cup water
l egg
Pinch of salt

Filling:
1½ cups shortening, melted (set aside)
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 tbsp. sugar
½ to 1 cup cornstarch

Dough: Grease hands with a little shortening and knead. Make 10 small balls and let stand in bowl for one hour covered with damp cloth.

Take five balls and roll each ball to diameter of 5 inches. Lightly cover top of each one with cornstarch and place on top of each other. Take stack of 5 and roll out until paper thin - diameter at least 36 inches. While rolling, occasionally sprinkle cornstarch between layers to prevent sticking. Carefully fold each layer and set aside covering with dry cloth to prevent drying. Repeat procedure with remaining 5 balls.

Five pieces of 36" rolled out dough will be the bottom half and the remaining five pieces will be the top half. The walnut stuffing will be placed in the center.

Pan: 8"x12"

Take 2 pieces of rolled out dough from first set of five and evenly place over pan and cut to exact size of pan. Set aside. These will be used for final layers before placing walnut mixture. Repeat procedure with second set of five and set aside tray size pieces for top finishing layers

Grease bottom of pan with some of the melted shortening.

Carefully tear remaining pieces of first set to approximately 4"x6" pieces and arrange in tray. There will be a little overlapping, but try to arrange evenly. For every 2 layers sprinkle melted shortening. When all pieces are used from first set, arrange the 2 previously cut tray size pieces. Cover with walnut mixture.

Repeat same procedure with second set of rolled out dough for top half ending with the 2 tray size pieces.

Finish remaining melted shortening by generously sprinkling top layer with shortening.

Cut into diamond pieces or in squares.

Bake in 425F oven until golden pink. Drain shortening. Cut through layers again to separate squares. Gently add sugar syrup while warm.

Variation: Banirli

Follow same recipe as for paklava EXCEPT stuffing is sliced white American cheese instead of walnuts.

Cut in squares.

Pour syrup while Banirli is still warm and serve warm.

SHAKAR Choor
(Sugar syrup for paklava)

Place in saucepan:
2 cups sugar
1 cup water
1 tsp. lemon juice

Stir and boil for one minute. Gently pour over warm paklava when syrup is lukewarm.