Baklava

14 ounces whole almonds (or, for nut-free version, see note below)

2 ounces light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 package filo pastry

8 ounces unsalted butter, melted

3 1/2 ounces sugar

8 ounces honey

1 1/2 tablespoons orange flower water (optional)

Lightly toast the almonds, then chop them finely and mix them with the brown sugar, cinnamon, and ginger.

Cut the filo pastry to fit a 9x12-inch baking dish, saving any cut-off pieces to make up the layers in the middle of the procedure.  Brush the dish with butter, lay a sheet of pastry in it, brush that with butter, cover it with another sheet, and brush that with butter.  Scatter on a layer of the almonds, then put two more layers of pastry as before.  Continue in this way until the almonds and the pastry are all used up.  Make sure the almonds are scattered evenly to the edge so that the dish is building up evenly.  Brush the top pastry sheet with butter and chill the dish for 30 minutes.  Heat the oven to 375°F.

Using a sharp knife, cut the baklava into 16 rectangles, four by four, then cut each one in half diagonally to get 32 triangles.  Make sure you cut right to the base of the dish.  Bake the baklava for 10 minutes, then turn the oven down to 325°F for an hour.  The baklava should be lightly browned on top and crisp all the way through.

Heat the sugar, honey, and orange flower water together in a small pot until bubbling.  Leave it for one minute, then pour it over the hot baklava.  Leave the baklava in the dish to cool completely before removing the pieces.  It will keep for a week or more in a sealed container.

From Café Paradiso Seasons by Denis Cotter

Note:  For nut-free version, use about 3.5 ounces sunflower seeds, 3.5 ounces sesame seeds, and 7 ounces pepitas.  Roast them all together in a dry pan until lightly browned, then grind to a coarse powder in a food processor.  Use in place of almonds.