1 lb. filo dough
1/2 lb. butter (preferably all natural butter), melted
Nut Filling
Syrup

Unwrap filo dough and fold in half, like pages of book. Keep covered with dry kitchen towel while working. Turn over 1 sheet. Brush with melted butter, using soft 1 1/2 to 2 inch brush.

Continue turning sheets (pages) and brushing with butter until 1/3 have been used. Lay flat in bottom of buttered 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Cover with 1/2 Nut Filling.

Brush another 1/3 of pages and place over nuts in pan, laying flat. Top with remaining Nut Filling. Brush remaining pages and lay flat on top. Brush top sheet with remaining butter.

With sharp knife, score pastry into diamonds, without quite cutting through to bottom. (To make diagonals, cut parallel horizontal cuts across pan, then cross diagonally at each horizontal point.)

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until puffed, crisp and deep golden in color. Immediately remove from oven and pour cooled Syrup over baklava. Let stand 4 hours. When cool, cut through to bottom layer in scored cuts. Makes about 24 pieces.

NUT FILLING:

1 1/2 lb. roasted, unsalted walnuts, coarsely chopped or ground
1 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves

Combine nuts, sugar, cinnamon and cloves.

SYRUP:

1 c. honey
3/4 c. water
1/4 c. sugar
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 sm. piece lemon peel
1 sm. piece orange peel
1 inch piece cinnamon stick

Combine honey, water, sugar, lemon juice, lemon and orange peels and cinnamon stick in saucepan. Simmer 10 minutes. When syrup has cooled, discard peels and cinnamon stick.