One of my favorite memories is spending the whole day with my yiayia (greek for grandmother) and my great-grandmother making a huge batch of a very involved recipe: Karpathian baklava. We make dough, press it through the pasta machine until it is appropriately thin, cut it into 1 inch strips, and then fold them into oval shapes with gaps in between. After connecting them with two cloves, they are deep fried and drenched in a homemade syrup.
A very simple day, using our hands and enjoying the aromas- a wonderful day.
(ill add the karpathian baklava recipe another day for adventurous people to try) 🙂
I’ll pass along one of her recipes that is much simpler, but still great:
Galaktobouriko (custard honey pastry)
this makes a whole 9×12 inch pan, so serves many!
INGREDIENTS
2 cups whole milk plus 6 cups whole milk
1/2 stick butter
1 tbs vanilla
1 tbs almond extract
1lb filo pastry
1 lb butter
10 eggs
1/2 cup farina
2 cups sugar
1 tbs orange rind
1/2 cup corn flour
Warm 6 cups milk in low heat with sugar, orange rind, and 1/2 stick butter.
Mix the corn flour along with remaining 2 cups milk, eggs, and farina. Slowly add this mixture to the milk until it comes to a boil.
Take mixture off of the fire and add the vanilla and almond extracts.
In a 9×12 inch pan layer a half of the phyllo pastry, brushing each layer of phyllo with melted butter. After half the phyllo pastry has been layered and brushed with butter, spread the mixture over the phyllo.
Layer the remaining phyllo pastry, again brushing each layer with butter. If there is any leftover melted butter, go ahead and pour it over the top of the phyllo. (no this is not diet food-just try and eat in small portions!) 😉
Cut into whatever shape pieces youd like, and bake at 325 (175c) for 1 hour or until its golden brown.
Now for the syrup!
2 1/2 cups water, 2 1/2 cups sugar, 1/2 cup honey, juice of 1/2 lemon
Mix and heat all ingredients until it comes to a boil-pour over hot galaktobouriko! enjoy!!
this is a really comforting dessert…
I love all the pictures you’re using!! Sweet stories too.
thanks! hope to get more of my own pictures up soon…
I would love the challenge of making Karpathian baklava. I’ve had this before when I was in Karpathos and really enjoyed the uniqueness of the flavor.
Yes, its a really unique and great dessert. Next time you’re there, ask one of the women to teach you!
Hi — Do you have the recipie for Karpathian baklava or a picture of it? I’m writing an article on it and we’d credit you with the recipie and photograph.
Thanks.
Aphrodite Matsakis
302 649 3069
Hello! Sure, I can give you my grandmother’s. Could you pass along your email?
I would love the recipe for the Karpathian Baklava as well. An image of the final result would be very useful also.
Regards,
Amalia
Have you posted the Karpathian Baklava recipe? I would love to have the recipe as I usually have to have someone bring home a package of Karpathian baklava from Karpathos since no one here makes it this way. Thanks, Lisa
I will post it as soon as I get it from my grandmother this summer! I usually make it with her so I have never written it down.