By Rania El Chidiac and Petronella Fakhry

 

Ingredients

375gram Filo Pastry
200 grams unsalted butter
1 cup walnuts
1 cup cashews or almonds
¼ cup Pistachio for decorating
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon of sugar
2 cups of Atter at room temperature – see recipe below
30cm x 20cm metal baking dish

 

Method

Pre-heat oven to 200°C

Either by hand or in an electric food processor, crush the walnuts and cashews or almonds until they are coarse powder. Place in a bowl and mix with cinnamon and sugar.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Brush the baking dish with butter. Lay the first 2 layers of filo pastry on the baking dish and brush the top layer with butter. Then continue to lay the filo pastry brushing every second sheet with butter until you have laid 1/3 of the sheets at least 20 sheets. Pour the nut mixture over the filo pastry and distribute evenly in the dish.

Continue to lay the remainder of the pastry over the nut mixture brushing with butter every alternate sheet. Brush the top layer.

With a sharp knife cut diagonal lines about 3cm wide to make diamond shape portions. Place baking tray in oven and bake for 15 mins on 200°C. When golden brown turn down the heat to 160°C and bake for another 30 mins.

Remove from oven and pour the Atter evenly over the surface of the dish. Sprinkle the crushed Pistachio nuts and set aside for at least an hour to cool down before removing portions onto a dish.

 

Atter – sugar syrup

2 cups of sugar
1 cup water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon orange blossom

Dissolve the sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the lemon juice and allow to simmer for approximately 10 minutes until it thickens. Add the Orange blossom and remove from the heat.

Sahtain!