| Baklava is a pastry with Middle Eastern origins. It | | | | food for the wealthy until the mid 19th century. In |
| is a rich, sweet pastry featured in many cuisines | | | | fact, sayings stillexist in Greek attributing it to only |
| of the countries that make up the former | | | | the upper classes. |
| Ottoman Empire. The pastry is composed of | | | | In the early years of Baklava, the dough for the |
| layers of phyllo (Greek for "Leaf") dough which is | | | | pastry was rough and had a bread-like texture. |
| filled with chopped walnuts or pistachios. The dish | | | | When the Greek sea men visited the eastern |
| is then sweetened with either syrup or honey and | | | | shores of the Mediterranean, they quickly fell in |
| served. | | | | love with the pastry and brought the recipe |
| All the evidence we have on this dessert | | | | home. Once the recipe reached Greece, it |
| suggests that it is of Central Turkish origin. | | | | underwent a major change. This major change |
| Despite claims of proto-baklava, no evidence of | | | | had to do with the dough. The Greeks' biggest |
| the dish as we know it exists prior to the | | | | contribution to baklava was in a new dough |
| Ottoman Empire. The oldest known recipe for this | | | | technique. This new technique made it possible to |
| pastry is for a proto-baklava. The recipe was | | | | roll the dough for the pastry as thing as a leaf. |
| recorded in a Chinese cookbook in the 1330s | | | | This new dough was called Phyllo which is the |
| under the Mongol dynasty. In this recipe, layers of | | | | Greek word for leaf as a result. |
| phyllo dough are put one by one into a mixture of | | | | Over the years, a variety of cultures have |
| warm milk and sugar. | | | | contributed to the serving and spices of baklava. |
| In the Middle East, baklava is served with walnuts | | | | Some who have contributed spices include the |
| and fresh pomegranate. It is a dessert reserved | | | | Arabs and the Turks. While this dessert may |
| exclusively for special occasions. It is primarily | | | | seem completely Middle Eastern, the current way |
| eaten during Ramadan. Despite the claims of the | | | | it is served is all French. At the end of the 18th |
| Turks and other groups from the area, every | | | | century, a former pastry chef for Marie |
| ethnic group whose ancestry can be traced to | | | | Antoinette was living in the Ottoman Empire in |
| the Middle East has laid a claim to their own | | | | exile. He was employed by the palace and |
| version of the delightful pastry. | | | | developed the dome way of serving and creating |
| Although many feel that the dessert goes back | | | | the dessert. |
| to several thousand years B.C., it was primarily a | | | | |