From the “Dinner in Athens” chapter of Cook the Part :

Next weekend we are planning to cook the “Dinner in Athens” chapter of my book with some of our biotech friends.  In preparation for that event, I am making the Baklava this weekend.  Baklava is always better when it can “rest” for a week before eating.  Before serving the Baklava, I put it into petit four cups.  Your friends will be so impressed that you made this from scratch!  We often make this before the holidays and include a few pieces with our Christmas cookie gift plates.

Baklava

 

Syrup:
1 cup honey
2 cups water
Zest of one lemon
2 cinnamon sticks
 

Filling:
4 cups nuts (walnuts or pecans)
1 cup sugar
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1 ½ teaspoons nutmeg

2 1 pound boxes filo dough
1 pound butter, melted

Prepare Syrup.
Add all syrup ingredients to saucepan and boil for 30 minutes.
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Diagram for scoring top of baklava

Prepare Filling.
Place all filling ingredients in bowl of food processor and process until mixture is well blended and nuts are finely chopped.

Assemble Baklava.
Using a large round pizza pan with a 1″ rim, place a layer of filo dough into bottom of pan.  Cover pan with dough and brush with melted butter. Continue until 8 layers have been assembled, with butter brushed between each layer.  Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of filling.  Add three layers of dough, brushing butter between each layer, followed by another 1/2 cup of the nut mixture.  Continue 8-10 times until pan is full, dough and nut mixture are used up.
Cut off overhang and finish off by creating a rim around the edge, folding inward and tucking in the dough to create an edge.
Score the top as shown in the diagram, creating triangles.

Bake the Baklava.
Bake at 300 degrees for 1 1/2 hours, covering with foil after the first hour.
Remove from oven and cool.
Finish.
Pour hot sauce over the cold baklava.  This will keep for weeks.
Cut all the way through and put the triangles into paper petit four cups for serving.