Baklava with Qashta (Clotted Cream) and Pistachios

Ingredients

• Phyllo (filo) dough
• ½ cup butter or melted ghee
• Room-temperature syrup (shira) to soak the baklava after baking
• Ashta (clotted cream):
• 2 cups milk
• ½ cup cream
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• A dash of orange blossom water and rose water
• ½ cup sweet mozzarella cheese or any available type
• Add the cheese after crumbling it into small pieces and stir to melt.
• Finally add the orange blossom water and rose water, stir, and remove from the heat.
• Set it aside to cool.
• Grease the baking tray with butter, spread the first layer of filo dough, and brush it with butter.
• Lay a second layer of filo dough and brush it with butter as well... and continue until you have at least 8 layers of dough.
• Spread the ashta and sprinkle a generous layer of crushed pistachios.
• Lay 8 new layers of filo on top in the same way... brushing butter between the layers and on the surface.
• Cut the ashta baklava into triangles.
• Place it in a preheated oven at 180°C.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
• When removed from the oven, immediately pour cold syrup over it and garnish with pistachios.
• Let the ashta and pistachio baklava cool completely before serving.
• This method of preparing ashta and pistachio baklava is from our friend and chef on the Sho Tabkhin Al-Youm website:
• Laila Hamoud
• Click on Laila's name to visit her personal page on our site.
• For Laila's recipe to make mini Uthmaliyah sweets click this link: Mini Uthmaliyah
• #recipes #recipe #baklava #baklava_with_ashta #ashta_pistachio_baklava
• #pistachios #arabic_sweets
• #ShoTabkhinToday

Method

1. Make the qashta: combine all ingredients except the cheese and the orange blossom and rose water. Stir them cold, then place over medium heat and cook until it thickens.
2. Add the crumbled cheese, stirring until it melts into the cream mixture.
3. Finally add the orange blossom water and rose water, stir, and remove from the heat.
4. Set the qashta aside to cool.
5. Brush a baking pan with butter, lay the first sheet of filo and brush it with melted butter.
6. Place a second filo sheet and brush with butter as well. Repeat until you have at least 8 layers of filo.
7. Spread the cooled qashta over the layered filo and generously sprinkle with crushed pistachios.
8. Place 8 more filo sheets on top, brushing butter between each layer and on the top layer.
9. Cut the baklava into triangles.
10. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C.
11. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
    Timers: 20 min
12. When you remove the baklava from the oven, immediately pour the cold sugar syrup over it and garnish with pistachios.
13. Allow the qashta and pistachio baklava to cool completely before serving.