From Gaziantep to Your Home Kitchen: A Baklava Recipe Packed with Pistachios

Homemade baklava does not have to be intimidating. This Gaziantep-style havuç dilimi recipe uses ready-made baklava sheets, but relies on clarified butter, generous pistachios and a traditional semolina kaymak filling to create a rich, crisp dessert.

Start by preparing the syrup with three cups of sugar, three cups of water and the juice of a quarter lemon. Boil the mixture, then simmer it for 15 to 20 minutes until it thickens slightly. Set it aside to cool to room temperature.

The recipe calls for 250 grams of butter. Melt it over low heat, remove the white foam and transfer only the clear golden fat to another container. Leave the milky residue at the bottom behind. The clarified butter helps prevent dark burnt spots during baking. Mix in a quarter cup of vegetable oil to increase the crispness.

Trim about 40 to 44 baklava sheets to fit a round baking tray, keeping the scraps for the middle layers. Cover the sheets with a slightly damp cloth so they do not dry out. Layer half the sheets with light coatings of fat, then spread the cooled semolina kaymak and cover it generously with coarsely ground green Antep pistachios. Add the remaining sheets and finish with a smooth, single top layer.

Cut the baklava into the long triangular slices associated with havuç dilimi, drizzle the remaining clarified butter over the cuts, and bake at 170°C for about 45 to 50 minutes. Pour the lukewarm syrup over the baklava as soon as it leaves the oven, when the hot pastry makes the characteristic sizzling sound.