Ingredients

Method

• 100 g raw shelled pistachios
• 100 g raw almonds
• 100 g raw walnuts
• 1 t salt
• 1 T ground cinnamon
• ½ t ground cloves
• 1 lemon, zested
• 2 t vanilla extract
• 1 cup honey, plus extra for drizzling
• 200 g butter, melted
• 500 g phyllo pastry, thawed
For the whipped goat’s cheese:
• 2 x 100 g chevin logs
• 3 T double-cream plain yoghurt
• 1 T icing sugar, plus extra for dusting
• ½ t salt

Method

Ingredients

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C.

2. In a dry pan over a medium heat, toast the nuts for 1–2 minutes, or until fragrant. Set aside a few pistachios for garnishing, then blend the remaining nuts until a coarse mixture forms. Transfer the nuts to a bowl and add the salt, cinnamon, cloves, lemon zest, vanilla and honey. Stir to combine.

3. Brush a large ovenproof dish with melted butter, then add a sheet of phyllo pastry. Brush with butter again, then repeat this step twice more before adding some of the nut filling. Add another 3 layers of pastry, brushing each layer generously with butter, before adding more nuts. Once all the nuts have been used, brush 3 more sheets of pastry with butter and gently crumple to form a rustic top to the dish. Brush the ends of the baklava with extra butter, ensuring that every bit of pastry is coated.

4. Bake for 45–50 minutes or until the pastry is crisp and a deep golden. Drizzle over more honey and set aside to cool while preparing the whipped goat’s cheese.

5. Place the goat’s cheese in a mixing bowl and beat with an electric hand-mixer until softened. Add the yoghurt, icing sugar and salt, and beat for 2 minutes or until the mixture is fluffy and aerated. Transfer to a piping bag with a nozzle.

6. Once the baklava is completely cool, pipe on the whipped goat’s cheese, reserving some to serve on the side. Dust with icing sugar and garnish with toasted pistachios.

Find more pastry recipes here.

Photographs: Jan Ras
Production: Abigail Donnelly
Food Assistant: Unathi Taffa