Are there variations to the baklava recipe, or is there just one?”
Baklava is the most famous of the Greek pastries, and every area of Greece, and sometimes every family within a region, has a favorite recipe. Variations include the use of different nuts (walnuts, almonds, pistachios), different numbers of sheets of phyllo dough, and different flavors to the syrup or filling (including cinnamon, cloves, cardamon, and rose water). Baklava is also cut into a variety of shapes for serving, although this very rich treat is always served in small portions. In some areas, such as Evros in the northeastern part of Greece, baklava is made without brushing the phyllo. Instead, hot olive oil is poured over the entire pastry before baking. Also in northeastern Greece, a version of baklava is made with sesame seeds (in Greek, μπακλαβάς σουσαμένιος). Serving this version is an old custom on Christmas Eve in Thrace. A walnut filling is more prevalent in the Levant, while pistachios and pistachio-almond fillings are preferred in Iran. Hungarians make an apricot vers
On RecipeZaar.com alone, I found 95 different recipes for baklava such as Pistachio Baklava Bites and Cookie Mix Baklava Bars.
