Baklawa

Preheat the oven to 220°C. Generously grease a 30 cm x 20 cm baking tin with butter.

Remove the filo pastry from the packets and unroll each into a separate pile. Take the first pile and place it into the tin. Trim the pastry to fit the tin, then remove and set aside.

Take three sheets of pastry from the second pile and centre it in the tin. You will have pastry hanging over the sides, but do not trim, let it hang over. Brush the top layer with melted butter. Place another three sheets on top and brush that top layer with butter. Repeat until the second pile of pastry is finished.

Spread the cashews evenly over the pastry then fold the overhanging pastry inwards so it lines up with the edges of the tin.

Repeat the above process with the first, trimmed, stack of pastry, placing three sheets down and brushing with melted butter. Repeat until that pile is also used up, but do not brush the top layer of pastry with butter.

Using a sharp knife, cut the pastry into vertical strips, about 2.5 cm wide, cutting right through to the bottom of the tin. Then cut the strips on the diagonal, to create diamond shapes. Pour any remaining melted butter over the top.

Turn the oven down to 150°C and bake for 30 minutes or until golden.

To make the sugar syrup, combine the sugar with 625 ml of water in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to the boil. Simmer gently for around 20 minutes or until the syrup has thickened. Stir in the lemon juice and rosewater then remove from the heat. Set aside to cool. (This makes about 500 ml of syrup.)

Remove the baklawa from the oven and pour the syrup over the top. Sprinkle with the crushed pistachios. Leave to cool completely before serving. This baklawa will keep in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.