3/4 stick butter
1/2 c. vegetable oil
40 sheets filo pastry
4 c. walnuts

Melt butter over low heat; let rest 2 to 3 minutes and skim off milk solution. Add oil. Coat bottom of pan. Fold filo pastry in half lengthwise. Press pastry into bottom of pan. Use pastry brush and brush pastry with butter; add 3 tablespoons walnuts and repeat until pan is full of layers. Top last layer with 2 pastries folded.

If any butter is left, brush top of layers. Score top layer in diamond shapes. Punch holes in diamond corners to allow for even butter saturation, especially the center which is usually the most dry. Extra butter may be poured around the edges of the pastry.

Bake in the middle of the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 300 degrees to avoid burning pastry and bake for 45 minutes or longer, until the top is crisp and golden brown.

BAKLAVA SYRUP:

1 1/2 c. sugar
3/4 c. water
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. honey

Combine ingredients except the honey. Cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to high and let syrup boil. Stir in honey and pour over baked layers. Syrup will saturate evenly through the toothpick holes. Let cool at room temperature.