Pecan Pie Baklava

Yields: 18 pieces

Time: 20 minutes prep, 60 minutes cooking

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
• 3/4 cup water
• 2/3 cup honey
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 navel orange
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups raw pecans, about 12 ounces
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 package frozen phyllo pastry, thawed
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat an oven to 350 F. Place 1 cup of the sugar in a medium GreenPan frypan along with the water, honey, and cinnamon sticks. Using a vegetable peeler, remove three large strips of peel from the orange (taking care to have as little of the white pith on the strips as possible) and add them to the frypan.

2. Place the frypan on the stovetop over medium heat and bring the mixture to a heavy simmer, stirring to combine and dissolve the sugar. Continue simmering, adjusting the heat if needed, until the mixture reduces to about 1 ½ cups of syrup, about 15 minutes. Allow the syrup to cool for 4 to 5 minutes, then stir in the vanilla extract and set aside.

3. While the syrup is reducing, spread the pecans on a GreenPan Premiere Ovenware Sheet Pan and toast them in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until they have darkened in color slightly and are very aromatic. Let them cool and then transfer to a food processor along with the remaining ½ cup of sugar, 2 teaspoons of freshly grated orange zest, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pulse until the pecans are finely chopped, with the largest pieces being about the size of a small pea.

4. Lay the phyllo sheets out on a cutting board and cut them into 8” by 8” squares. You’ll need 25 square sheets total, so if needed, use edges and scraps to create some of the middle layers. Cover the phyllo with a lightly damp kitchen or paper towel so they don’t dry out while building the baklava.

5. Brush the bottom and sides of a GreenPan Premiere Ovenware 8” by 8” square baker with melted butter. Place one phyllo square into the pan and brush the top lightly with butter. Top with another square and again brush with butter. Repeat until you have five layers of phyllo topped with butter. Evenly spread ¼ of the pecan filling on the phyllo. Repeat this process three more times, then top with the final five pieces of buttered phyllo, finishing with butter on top.

6. Use a paring knife to cut two evenly spaced lines (through just the entire top layer of phyllo) in one direction vertically, followed by two in the other direction horizontally – it will look like a tic tac toe grid. Next, working on the top row, cut each square in half diagonally from the upper left to the lower right of the square. Repeat on the bottom row. On the middle row, reverse the direction of the diagonal cuts, going from the upper right to the lower left. Transfer the baklava to the oven and bake until the top is well puffed and deeply golden brown, about 40 minutes. Transfer to a wire cooling rack.

7. If needed, gently warm the syrup until it’s pourable. Discard the cinnamon sticks and the orange peels. Ladle the syrup evenly over the top of the warm baklava in three additions, allowing the first to soak through the top before adding the next. Allow the baklava to cool fully. Using a silicone spatula, carefully lift and remove the baklava from the baker and transfer to a cutting board. Cut along the lines on top and serve.

TIPS:

To give this recipe a little extra flavor for a grown-up crowd, if you’d like, add up to 3 tablespoons of bourbon to the syrup along with the vanilla!

For a holiday time saver, feel free to make both the syrup and the filling up to 3 days in advance. Then on the day of the meal all you’ll have to do is build, bake, cool and serve!