| Directions: |
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter the bottom and sides of a 6-by-10 baking dish.
Chop nuts coarsely, either by hand or pulse 2 to 3 times in a food processor. Toss with cinnamon. Set aside. Unroll phyllo dough. Cut the whole stack to fit the baking dish. Cover and set aside the scraps for another use. Cover phyllo with a dampened cloth, to keep it from drying out as you work. Place two sheets of dough in the dish, butter thoroughly. Repeat until you have 8 sheets layered. Sprinkle 3 to 4 tablespoons of nuts on top. Top with two sheets of dough, butter, nuts, layering as you go. The top layer should be about 6 to 8 sheets deep.
Using a sharp knife, cut into 24 pieces, all the way to the bottom of the pan. Bake for about 30 minutes until baklava is golden and crisp.
Make syrup while baklava is baking (instructions below). Remove baklava from oven, and immediately spoon the syrup over it. Let cool. Serve in cupcake papers. Leave uncovered, as it gets soggy if wrapped. Freezes well. Makes 24 pieces.
Make the Syrup
Bring the water and sugar to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, add remaining ingredients and simmer gently for about 15 to 20 minutes, until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and set aside until baklava comes out of the oven.
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