Tray - Mussel Shape Pistachio Baklava- 2.86 Lbs Recipe

Thaw phyllo pastry sheets in the refrigerator overnight if frozen, then bring to room temperature for 1 hour before using so sheets separate easily.

Finely chop the shelled pistachios in a food processor using short pulses until mixture is sandy but not pasty; measure out 1.1 lb. Stir in 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp salt until evenly combined.

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly butter a 13 x 9-inch (or similar) shallow baking tray; this recipe yields approximately a 2.86 lb tray of baklava arranged in mussel (shell) shapes.

Cook syrup

Combine 2 cups sugar and 1 cup water in a medium saucepan with 4 whole cloves. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes without stirring vigorously. Remove from heat, discard cloves, stir in 3/4 cup honey, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 teaspoon orange blossom or rose water. Cool to room temperature. Syrup should be warm (not hot) when poured over hot baklava.

Unroll phyllo and keep covered with a slightly damp towel to prevent drying. Brush the bottom of the prepared tray with about 2 tablespoons melted butter.

Place one phyllo sheet in the tray, brush lightly with melted butter, and sprinkle a light dusting (about 1 teaspoon) of granulated sugar. Repeat layering 5 sheets total, buttering between each sheet (use approximately 3–4 tablespoons butter so far).

Cut the stacked phyllo (in the tray) into long 2-inch-wide strips (lengthwise). You will shape these strips into mussel (shell) shapes: take one strip, place 1 tablespoon of pistachio filling along one edge, fold the strip over the filling at a slight angle then roll tightly and curve the roll slightly to resemble a mussel shell. Place shaped mussel into the tray seam-side down with gentle spacing; continue until tray is filled (should yield roughly 20–30 mussel pieces depending on tightness). Reserve any extra filling.

If you run out of height, add additional 2–3 layers of phyllo over the filled mussels (brush each layer with butter) to cover and help set the shapes while baking. Brush remaining surfaces of shaped pieces with butter so all exposed phyllo is glazed.

Bake in the preheated 350°F (175°C) oven on the middle rack for 30–40 minutes, or until phyllo is deep golden brown and crisp. Rotate tray halfway through baking for even color. Total baking time depends on tray depth and how tightly shaped the mussels are; watch for even browning without burning.

When baklava is fully baked, remove from oven and immediately pour the cooled (but still slightly warm) syrup evenly over the hot pastries, using about three-quarters of the syrup to start so pieces absorb it. Let the tray rest at room temperature for at least 4 hours (preferably overnight) so syrup fully soaks and pieces set. Reserve remaining syrup to drizzle if needed.

Once set, lightly dust with powdered sugar if desired and sprinkle finely ground pistachios over the top for garnish. If pieces stuck together, use a small spatula to separate into individual mussel shapes before serving.