Onboard cuisine - just upped the ante :O)

I decided to make Baklava today - I found a recipe posted by an Iranian lady and went to buy pistachio nuts and rose water. As I started to chop the nuts, one on the plate caught my eye, it looks like a little heart - see photo :O) The rose water I bought in a little Indian shop and it is the best I have found anywhere. It's called Dabur Red Rose Water and made from handpicked roses ( it says) and I believe it because it smells like heaven.

Anyway, enough waxing lyrical and down to the nitty gritty - here's the recipe - you won't be disappointed...

Baklava

Ingredients:

1/2 pound skinless almonds, lightly toasted, finely ground (I used slivered almonds)
1/2 pound shelled pistachios, finely ground - I chopped mine.
1 package of phyllo (thawed overnight if frozen), I used 20 pieces of 9" x 14" phyllo pastry sheets
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup of unsalted butter, melted

Syrup:

1 cup of sugar
2 tablespoons honey *optional (I used orange blossom honey)
1 cup of water
1/2 cup rose water
1/8 teaspoon powdered saffron

Method:

1. In a medium sized bowl combine the chopped almonds, pistachios, two tablespoons sugar and the ground cardamom. Mix well and set aside.
2. Combine sugar and water in a small pot and bring to a boil on medium heat for about 15 minutes until sugar is completely dissolved.
3. Add the saffron to the syrup, lower the heat, simmer for an additional 5-7 minutes.
4. Remove from heat, add the rose water and allow to cool.
5. Lightly butter the inside of the baking pan.
6. Place the first phyllo dough sheet down and lightly brush the melted butter across covering the entire surface.
7. Add four more pieces of phyllo dough and lightly brushing each with melted butter.
8. Add a layer of ground almond/pistachios.
9. Add five more pieces of phyllo dough sheets lightly brush each sheet of phyllo dough with melted butter.
10. Add another layer of the chopped nuts covering all areas.
11. Place five more pieces of phyllo dough, lightly brushing each with butter.
12. Cover the phyllo dough sheets with another layer of the crushed nuts.
13. Place the last five layers of the phyllo dough sheets and brush the surface with butter.
14. With a sharp knife cut across diagonally to make diamond shapes.
15. Place the baking pan on the center rack of the 350 degrees Fahrenheit pre-heated oven for 30 minutes or until the top is golden.
16. Take the tray out of the oven and turn the oven off.
17. Pour half of the cool syrup all over the baghlava and place it back in the oven for 5-7 minutes.
18. Remove the pan from the oven and pour the remaining syrup over the baghlava and let cool for at least a couple of hours before serving. (It tastes much better the next day so you may want to make it ahead of time).
19. To sum it all up, this recipe has 4 layers of 5 phyllo dough sheets and 3 layers of ground almonds and pistachios. It keeps well for a few days but more than that I couldn't tell you!