Traditional Greek Baklava

 The Art.
    For thousands of years, Greeks and Turks have argued about the best way to make baklava. They also argue about other things, like religion and occupation of Cyprus, but those conflicts are superfluous compared to the Baklava Dispute. I can't really blame them, baklava is a delicious and intrinsic part of Eastern European culture. Coming from a Greek family, I have grown up making baklava in the Greek style, with chopped walnuts and honey syrup flavored with orange peel. My Yiayia taught us to stick a clove in the center of each piece of baklava before it's baked, to keep the top layers of phyllo from curling and flaking away, in addition to adding presentation. (Remember to remove the decorative clove before eating the baklava, or you'll have a very bad time.)

The Science.

Chemical Structure of Eugenol

    Cloves have many practical uses besides adding flavor to foods. One of the main components in clove oil is a compound called eugenol. Eugenol has been shown to have anesthetic effects, and is used in dentistry to numb the skin before needle sticks, much like benzocaine [1]. In addition, eugenol acts as an antibacterial agent by interacting with the bacterial cell wall and killing bacterial cells [2]. Because of this antimicrobial activity, clove oil is used in topical ointments to promote wound healing. Clove oil also exhibits antioxidant activity, scavenging free radicals and acting as an iron chelator [3]. These qualities make it a desirable food preservative, and a natural alternative to chemical preservatives.

The Recipe.

Syrup:
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups honey
1 cinnamon stick
Peel from 1/4 of an orange

    When taking the peel from the orange, be sure to only take the top, orange-colored part of the peel, and exclude the white pith. The peel contains the essential oils, but the pith will give your syrup a bitter flavor.

    Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and heat gently while assembling and baking the baklava. Do not allow to boil. Remove orange peel and cinnamon stick. Coat the candied orange peel with granulated sugar and store in the refrigerator to use in cakes or as a garnish.

Pastry:
3 cups chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground clove
1 package (1lb.) phyllo dough, thawed
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
40-50 whole cloves

    Preheat oven to 375°F and adjust rack to middle position. Lightly dampen a dish towel with water. Open the phyllo package, and cut 1 inch off of the short end of the dough, to turn the 9"x14" dough into 9"x13", which will fit nicely in your pan. Keep the dough covered with waxed paper, then place the damp dish towel on top while you're working, to prevent it from drying out. This will keep the phyllo edges from dehydrating and breaking while you work with it. In a medium bowl, combine nuts and spices. 

    Place 2 sheets of phyllo flat in the bottom of an ungreased 9"x13", and lightly and evenly brush with butter, all the way to the edges. Repeat 4 times. Sprinkle 1/3 of the nut mixture evenly over the top. Repeat layering the dough and nuts twice more. Layer 12 sheets of phyllo on top, buttering every alternate sheet as before.

    The key to a beautiful, crisp baklava is to cover all of the dough evenly with butter to prevent cracking, but not too generously or it will become greasy.  Also, make sure the nut mixture is spread completely smooth, all the way to the edges.

    With a sharp knife, carefully cut the baklava into diamonds, approximately 2 inches square. Only cut about 2/3 of the way down, so the pastry will hold together while it bakes. Insert a clove in the center of each piece, leaving 1/8 inch between the top of the dough and the clove bud, so there is room for the pastry to rise. Bake for 40 minutes, or until light golden.

    While the baklava is still hot, gently pour the syrup evenly over the top. Allow to cool to room temperature, then cut into pieces. To serve, place each piece in a paper mini cupcake liner and serve with coffee or tea. Store baklava in the refrigerator up to 1 week, or freeze in airtight container 2 months.

1. Alqareer, A. et al. "The effect of clove and benzocaine versus placebo as topical anesthetics." Journal of Dentistry 2006, 34(10) pp 747–750.

2. Devi, K. et al. "Eugenol (an essential oil of clove) acts as an antibacterial agent against Salonmella typhi by disrupting the cellular membrane." J. Ethnopharmacol. 2010, 130(1) pp 107-115.

3. Jirovetz, L. et al. "Chemical composition and antioxidant properties of clove leaf essential oil." J. Agric. Food Chem. 2006, 54(17) pp 6303-6307.