Pistachio and walnut baklava

Name: Pistachio and walnut baklava
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 200 g Caster sugar; 0.5 Lemons, juiced, plus a strip of zest; 150 g Walnuts; 150 g Pistachios, keep 2 tbsp back for the top; 30 g Caster sugar; 2 g Ground cinnamon; 400 g Filo pastry, about 16 sheets; 175 g Butter, melted

Layers of crisp, buttery filo and spiced pistachio and walnut, soaked in lemon syrup, as sold in bakeries all over Turkey. Make it the day before so the syrup can sink in.

Ingredients

200 g Caster sugar
0.5 Lemons, juiced, plus a strip of zest
150 g Walnuts
150 g Pistachios, keep 2 tbsp back for the top
30 g Caster sugar
2 g Ground cinnamon
400 g Filo pastry, about 16 sheets
175 g Butter, melted

Method

Put the sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and 150ml water in a pan. Stir over a low heat until the sugar dissolves, then simmer until slightly syrupy. Leave to cool completely.
Blitz the walnuts and pistachios to fine crumbs (stop before it turns to paste) and mix with the sugar and cinnamon.
Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Brush a 20 x 30cm tin with melted butter. Trim the filo to fit the tin and keep it under a damp tea towel so it doesn't dry out.
Lay in a sheet of filo and brush with butter. Repeat until you have 7 or 8 layers. Scatter over half the nuts, add 3 more buttered sheets, then the rest of the nuts. Finish with 7 or 8 more sheets, brushing each with butter and the top generously.
With a sharp knife, cut all the way through into 24 diamonds or squares. It's impossible to cut neatly once baked.
Bake until deep golden and crisp all the way through.
As soon as it comes out of the oven, spoon the cold syrup evenly over the hot baklava. It will sizzle. Sprinkle the saved pistachios on top.
Leave uncovered at room temperature for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight, so the syrup soaks in and the top stays crisp.