My dad's easy Greek baklava recipe has been in our family for generations. Here's how to make it.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
- My Greek grandfather was a phyllo maker, and his baklava has been in my family for generations.
- My dad makes baklava every Christmas and showed me how it's done.
- The recipe isn't as intimidating as it seems, and it will impress everyone during the holidays.
Baklava has always been an important part of my family's history.
My pappou — Greek for grandfather — was a phyllo maker, and my dad grew up watching him make baklava and kataifi at his store, Φύλλο κρούστα ΚΩΝΣΤΑΝΤΙΝΙΔΗΣ, in Thessaloniki.
According to family lore, my pappou actually helped invent frozen phyllo. Why I'm not a frozen phyllo heiress partying with Paris Hilton on a yacht in Mykonos, I do not know, but I'm still proud!
Our family makes my pappou's baklava every Christmas, so I asked my dad to finally share its history and recipe with the world.
Here's how to make it.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
My dad told me that my pappou started giving people the flyers — which also included recipes for Greek treats like trigona and galaktoboureko — because they were constantly asking how he made them.
His baklava recipe is less than 70 words and basically translates to: "We add breadcrumbs and a bit of sugar in the mix. We lay the phyllo in layers of two. We add the mix in multiple layers, not just the middle."
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
During the holiday season, my dad would always help my pappou at the store. But he didn't start making the dessert himself until he moved to the US, wanting to continue the tradition while more than 6,000 miles away from his entire family.
Like my dad, every Christmas memory I have includes baklava. It doesn't feel like the holidays without it. And since my dad taught me how to make his famous pastitio and avgolomeno soup, it was only natural that baklava would be next on the list.
And, lucky for you, he was more than happy to share the family recipe — and prove that baklava is a lot easier to make than it looks.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
To make my dad's baklava, you'll need:
- 1 packet of phyllo dough
- 2 sticks of unsalted butter
- 2 cups of chopped walnuts
- 2 cups and 2 tablespoons of sugar
- ½ cup of plain breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon of cinnamon
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
"As Paul Hollywood would say, you need good lamination," my dad told me sagely as he watched to ensure the butter didn't burn.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
"You don't want them to be a powder," he told me.
No food processor? No problem. My dad said it's also perfectly fine to roughly chop your walnuts with a knife or buy pre-chopped walnuts from the supermarket.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
We added the walnuts to a large bowl with 2 tablespoons of sugar, as well as the cinnamon and breadcrumbs.
My dad told me that breadcrumbs help the baklava absorb the syrup better, a helpful trick that was actually discovered by accident.
"Walnuts in Greece used to be very expensive, and people would cheat with breadcrumbs," he said. "But they found that the breadcrumbs actually really help with absorption."
Just make sure the breadcrumbs are plain — no Italian seasoning!
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
As the scents of cinnamon and walnuts twisted together, I felt like I could already smell the baklava.
It brought me back to being a kid, where I'd walk by the kitchen every Christmas break and watch my dad dutifully prepare this mix.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
No one expects you to make your own phyllo — this isn't "The Great British Bake-Off." But make sure to leave your phyllo in the fridge for a day or two before you make the baklava. It can't be used frozen.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
My dad's pro tip is to take your pan (he recommends using one that's medium-sized and has a rectangular shape) and place it over the sheets. Then, using a sharp knife, cut the phyllo to almost match the size of the pan.
"It's OK to fold a little phyllo on the side, so give yourself some extra dough," my dad said. "But you don't want a huge amount."
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
Make sure you save some of your best sheets for the bottom of the baklava (you need a strong base) and the top (so it looks extra impressive).
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
You don't need much; just a thin layer will do.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
As you build the baklava, you always add two phyllo sheets at a time and brush the second layer with a little butter.
"Not too much," my dad said. "It doesn't have to be soaked, or else the baklava will be very oily."
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
"Sprinkle the whole pan with a thin layer of your mix," my dad said. "And put a bit more of the mix around the middle of your phyllo."
"But you don't want areas where there's no filling," he added. "You want some in every bite."
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
Remember, the breakdown is:
- Two layers of phyllo at a time, the top brushed with butter
- Every six layers of phyllo, add some of the walnut mixture
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
Place the strips next to each other, as we did above, to mimic a full sheet and get the most out of your box of phyllo. Just make sure you're still doing two layers at a time.
"It's not an arts and crafts project; it's food!" my dad said. "You're not going to see any of this when you cut the baklava, just multiple layers of phyllo."
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
And if you end up missing the count and accidentally put three layers of phyllo instead of two or the walnuts on top of layer seven instead of six, my dad said it's "not the end of the world."
"The key is you just want to make laminated layers with the filling," he added. "Don't panic, and do the best you can."
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
For this pan of baklava, we actually did four final layers instead of six since we ran out of phyllo.
If you want, you can always make more mix. And if you have extra phyllo, you can use it to make tiropitakia (cheese pies) or spanakopita (spinach pies) and really turn this into a Greek feast.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
This is why you want to use full sheets of phyllo on top — it's very hard to butter broken layers.
And don't forget to butter the edges. My dad says this will help protect the phyllo from burning.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
Before baking, use a sharp knife to cut the baklava into small triangles or squares.
"If you don't cut it, the baklava will not cook," my dad told me. "Raw baklava is not good. Plus, it's very hard to cut after you cook it because the baklava is very flaky."
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
It helps the cooking process, and it's the traditional shape. First, cut the baklava into squares, then slice them diagonally.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
My dad said the baking time will take 45 to 55 minutes. Every oven is different, so check on yours until you get that beautiful color.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
To begin the syrup, mix the 2 cups of sugar with 1 cup of water.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
My dad told me that lemon juice helps prevent the syrup from crystallizing, which makes the baklava last longer.
Then mix the syrup as you wait for the first boil.
"Wait a few seconds after it starts boiling, then take it off of the heat," my dad said. "Don't let it boil for more than a minute."
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
My dad recommends using a ladle for this step and says it's important to pour the syrup evenly over the baklava.
It's also important to note that your baklava needs to cool completely before adding the syrup. My dad usually lets the baklava sit overnight, but he said you can just wait a couple of hours if you're in a crunch for time.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
This helps the baklava absorb all that delicious syrup.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
To make sure the syrup doesn't crystallize, my dad says it's important to always use a clean knife when you're cutting new pieces and always avoid using a wet knife or wet utensils.
Also, there's no need to refrigerate. You can let your pan sit out in the kitchen for days (if it's not eaten before then!).
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
There are so many incredible textures and flavors that dance together as you bite into a piece of baklava. You've got the flakiness from the phyllo, combined with that sweet, sticky syrup. And then there's that satisfying crunch of the walnuts in the middle, bringing everything together as it melts in your mouth.
I brought some of my dad's baklava on a road trip with friends years ago, and they still talk about it to this day. My boyfriend and his roommates said it was so good it gave them goosebumps.
This recipe has won my dad baking contests at his office and has been the talk of every Greek holiday party we've ever attended.
I'm telling you, this is the real deal.
Anneta Konstantinides/Insider
The most special thing about food to me has always been the stories it can bring. My pappou passed when I was 4 years old, but I've been able to keep a connection with his spirit through the baklava that my dad has made every Christmas. And now that I can make it as well, it's a tradition I know I'll always honor.
While I know it can seem intimidating, my dad's recipe proves that you don't have to be a Greek phyllo maker (or the descendant of one) to make some amazing baklava for your family and friends.
So, whether you only make this baklava once or it earns a permanent spot on your family's holiday menu, I hope you feel the love in this recipe.
