Traditional Sticky Pistachio Baklava

For the Dough:

• 1 Pound Box Phyllo Dough – 9×14 Sheets room temperature
• 3/4 Cups Melted Butter or substitute ghee or clarified butter for a more traditional version

For the Filling:

• 2 Cups Pistachios
• 1 Cup Walnuts
• 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar

For the Honey Simple Syrup:

• 1 Cup Sugar
• 3/4 Cup Water
• 1/3 Cup Honey
• 1 Teaspoon Lemon Zest
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 Tablespoon Rose Water

1. Start by preparing the simple syrup: add the sugar, water, honey, and lemon zest to a small sauce pan and heat over medium-high heat.
2. Next, bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer once boiling.
3. Once the mixture is simmering, stir the mixture until the sugar fully dissolves and the mixture has thickened, yet is still clear in appearance. This should take about 5-7 minutes.
4. Once the mixture has thickened, remove it from the heat.
5. Then, stir in the vanilla extract and rose water and set the mixture aside to cool.
6. Next, prepare the filling mixture by adding the pistachios, walnuts, and sugar to a food processor and pulsing until they're fully combined. Be sure to leave some texture in your mixture to get that nice "crunch."
7. Finally, prepare the baklava. Preheat your oven to 350 F and brush bottom of a 9×13 baking sheet with melted butter
8. Next, open up your box of phyllo dough and separate the two rolls. Then, cut approximately two inches off of each roll, so that they fit within the baking sheet.
9. First, lay one sheet of the phyllo dough inside of the baking sheet and pour in 3/4 of the nut mixture, saving the other 1/4 for sprinkling on top of the baklava at the end.
10. Then, stack the second phyllo dough sheet on top.
11. Finally, gently cut the baklava into squares. Pour the melted butter on top, then re-slice into squares so that the butter really settles into all of the crevices.
12. Once done, bake until the baklava is golden – this should take approximately 50 -60 minutes.
13. When it's done, remove it from the oven, pour the cooled syrup on top as well as the remaining 1/4 of the nut mixture, serve, and enjoy!