Khoshkar: A Delightful Iranian Baklava

This particular baklava holds a special place in Iran and originates from Rasht, a city in the northern part of the country.

Ingredients:

• 1 package of filo dough, thawed to room temperature
• 2 sticks of high-quality unsalted butter, melted
• 4 cups of blanched almonds or shelled unsalted pistachios
• 1 cup of granulated sugar
• 1 to 2 heaping tablespoons of ground cardamom (adjust to taste)
• A pinch of salt

For the Syrup:

• 2 cups of sugar
• 1 cup of water
• 1/4 cup of honey
• 1 to 2 teaspoons of rosewater (adjust to taste)
• A squeeze or two of fresh lemon juice
• Dried rose petals (for garnish)

Instructions:

• • Preheat the Oven:
  • Set your oven to 300°F (150°C).
  • Prepare the Nut Mixture:
  • In a food processor fitted with the cutting blade, pulse the nuts, sugar, ground cardamom, and a pinch of salt until the mixture resembles fine sand. Be careful not to over-pulse; it should not become sticky or doughy.
  • Butter the Baking Pan:
  • Use a pastry brush to generously coat the bottom and sides of a 9×13″ baking pan with melted butter.
  • Layer the Filo Dough:
  • Lay 5 sheets of filo dough on the bottom of the pan, allowing some to come up three-quarters of the way on the sides but trimming any excess.
  • Brush the top of the filo dough with melted butter, covering the entire surface and brushing up onto the sides of the pan.
  • Distribute about a cup of the nut mixture evenly across the filo dough.
  • Repeat the process (filo, butter, nut mixture) 4-5 times until you’ve used all of the nut mixture.
  • Create Diamond Shapes:
  • Cover the last layer of nuts with 2 sheets of filo, brush with butter, and cover with 3 more sheets of filo, allowing some excess filo around the edges of the pan.
  • Brush generously with the remaining melted butter.
  • Using a paring knife, cut diagonal lines through all the layers, starting about an inch away from the corner of the pan and working your way across. Leave about an inch between each line.
  • Repeat the process to cut vertical lines one inch apart, forming diamonds.
  • Bake to Perfection:
  • Bake the baklava at 300°F for about 45 minutes to an hour, checking frequently to ensure the filo is not over-browning. It’s ready when you can smell the aroma of the nuts and the filo dough is lightly browned and flaky on top.
  • Prepare the Syrup:
  • While the baklava is baking, make the syrup.
  • In a small saucepan, combine the water and sugar. Heat over medium heat until all the sugar is dissolved.
  • Add the honey, rosewater, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Stir until combined.
  • Drizzle with Syrup:
  • When the baklava is done baking, remove it from the oven.
  • Immediately drizzle the syrup generously over the whole pan, distributing it evenly.
  • Garnish with dried rose petals.
  • Serve and Enjoy!
  • Let the baklava cool before slicing and serving. The combination of pistachios, rosewater, cardamom, and honey makes this baklava truly Persian and utterly irresistible.