1 lb. walnut meats or almonds, ground
1/2 c. sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 lb. fila
1 lb. butter, melted and clarified
Whole cloves (optional)
Syrup

Combine coarsely ground walnuts with sugar and cinnamon. Set aside. Line bottom of buttered pan, 9x12 inch, with 10 to 12 fila, brushing each with melted butter. Sprinkle with thin layer of nut mixture. Cover with 3 fila, brushing each with melted butter. Sprinkle with more nut mixture. Repeat process, until all nut mixture is used, usually in 4 layers. Cover with remaining buttered fila. Chill 25 minutes.

Cut pastry into small diamond shapes. Brush again with melted butter. Insert whole cloves in center of each piece. Bake in slow oven 325 degrees for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. When slightly browned, remove from oven; slowly pour enough cooled syrup over hot Baklava until completely absorbed. (See Hints, below.)

SYRUP:

3 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. water
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 c. honey

Combine sugar, water and lemon juice. Boil 10 minutes. Slowly add honey, and simmer 5 minutes.

HINTS:

BAKLAVA - PREPARATION:

When placing bottom fila in pan, allow 2 or 3 fila to overhang slightly over sides of pan, brushing edges with butter. Cut remaining fila to size of pan; continue as directed in recipe until last row of nuts is in place. Fold extended fila into pan, brushing top with butter. Finish with remaining fila as directed.

To bake, place Baklava in lower third of oven during first half of baking time, then place on middle rack. If pastry browns too soon, cover loosely with brown paper or tinfoil; finish baking.

Before pouring syrup over Baklava; pastry should be hot and syrup cold, or vice versa. Pour slowly until enough syrup is absorbed. Some syrup may remain. When completely cooled, cover pan with tin foil. (Never use plastic wrap as it softens crust.) Allow to stand 24 hours before cutting again and removing pieces from pan.

BUTTER - TO CLARIFY:

Method I: Heat butter in saucepan until bubbly. Skim salty foam from surface to clear butter. Discard foam, or use to flavor oven-browned potatoes.

Method II: Most fila pastries require clarified, or sweet butter (unsalted) which is found in supermarkets. Do not use whipped sweet butter, except in Kourabiedes.

FILA - HOW TO HANDLE:

To defrost, leave box of fila in refrigerator overnight, or at room temperature 1 hour. Never allow fila to be exposed to air.

Unfold package of fila, place on waxed paper. Cover with more waxed paper and a damp dish towel to prevent fila from drying and cracking while preparing pastry.