Ingredients:
- 4 cups finely chopped walnuts
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 40 filo pastry sheets
- 1 1/2 cup unsalted butter, clarified, or margarine, melted
MEDIUM SYRUP
- 3 cups sugar
- 1 1/2 cup water
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Directions:
Prepare Medium Syrup. Set aside to cool. Preheat oven to 350F (175C). Lightly butter a 13" x 9" baking pan. Set aside. In a medium bowl, combine walnuts, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves and sugar. Set aside. Stack filo pastry sheets on a flat surface. Trim to fit pan. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent drying out. Layer 12 filo sheets in baking pan, brushing each sheet with clarified butter or melted margarine. Spread 1 cup nut mixture over layered filo sheets. Top with 8 more filo sheets, brushing each with butter or margarine. Spread with 1 cup nut mixture. Layer 8 more filo sheets, brushing each with butter or margarine. Spread with remaining nut mixture. Top with 12 remaining filo sheets, brushing each with butter or margarine. Brush top sheet with remaining butter or margarine. Cutting all the way through pastry, cut into 1-inch diamond shapes without removing from pan. Bake 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 200F (95C). Bake 30 minutes longer. Pour cooled syrup over warm pastry. Let stand several hours before serving.
MEDIUM SYRUP
Combine all ingredients in a large, heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat. Once mixture boils and sugar is dissolved, do not stir or syrup may cloud or crystallize. Cook, uncovered, over medium-low heat until a candy thermometer registers 212 to 218F (100 to 102C). At this temperature, syrup dropped from a cold metal spoon will fall in a sheet. Remove from heat.
Cool. Use immediately or refrigerate in a plastic container with lid. May be refrigerated up to 1 month.
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