Kopi's Famous Baklava Recipe - KMPH FOX 26 | Central San Joaquin Valley News Source

Kim and Kopi prepared some traditional Greek foods in the Great Day Kitchen Wednesday morning.

Here are a few recipes, including Kopi's famous Baklava recipe:

YALANZI (DOLMATHES)
(Stuffed grape leaves - meatless)

-- 3 large onions, chopped
-- 1 cup olive oil
-- 1 1/2 cups rice
-- 1 1/2 cups water
-- 1 Tbs. parsley, chopped
-- 14 oz whole tomatoes, chopped with juice (optional)
-- 1 Tbs. fennel, chopped (optional)
-- 1 Tbs. mint, chopped
-- Salt and pepper
-- 3 juice of lemons
-- 50+ grape leaves, fresh or canned

Sauté onions in olive oil until soft. Add tomatoes, chopped finely. Add rice and 2 cups of water, including tomato juice. Bring to boil, lower to simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed. Add parsley, mint, fennel, salt and pepper. Remove from heat and add juice of 1 lemon. Cool.

Fresh grape leaves should be dipped in boiling water for about 5 minutes to make them flexible. Canned grape leaves should be rinsed thoroughly in cold water. Spread out grape leaves, shiny side down. Place one heaping teaspoon of rice mixture. Turn ends in and roll. Do this until all rice mixture is used up. Save several grape leaves to line the bottom of pot and arrange dolmathes side by side and layer upon layer. Top with grape leaves and place heavy plate on top to keep dolmathes compact. Add lemon juice and water to cover dolmathes. Bring to boil, lower heat and simmer for about 45 minutes or until rice is cooked. These are better if they are made one day ahead. If more tartness is desired, add more lemon juice.

Yields: 50+ stuffed grape leaves

BAKLAVA
(Phyllo with walnuts and honey syrup)

-- 1 lb. walnuts (chopped)
-- 1/3 cup sugar
-- 1 tsp. cinnamon
-- 1/2 tsp. allspice
-- 1/4 tsp. cloves - ground
-- 1 lb. phyllo
-- 1 lb. butter (melted)

Syrup:

-- 1 cup honey
-- 1 cup sugar
-- 1/2 cup water
-- 1 stick cinnamon
-- 1 orange - peel only
-- 36 whole cloves (optional)

Combine all syrup ingredients in a pot. Bring to a boil - watching carefully. Then reduce heat and slowly simmer for about 20 minutes. Allow to cool (can be made up to one week ahead - store in a cool place).

Nut mixture: Coarsely chop walnuts and mix in bowl with sugar, cinnamon, allspice and ground cloves.

Brush 9" x 12" pan with butter. Lay sheet of phyllo on bottom of the pan. Brush first layer with butter and repeat until you have used about 12 sheets. Spread a thin layer (about 1/3 cup) of nut mixture on top of phyllo. Cover with a sheet of phyllo, brush with butter and repeat this process (phyllo-butter-nuts, phyllo-butter-nuts...) until you have used all of the nut mixture. Then cover with remaining filo sheets buttering each sheet as you layer it.

If you have time, chill baklava in the refrigerator until top hardens so that it will be easier to cut. Using a sharp knife, cut lengthwise first, then diagonally to form diamonds. Optional: insert a clove in the center of each piece. Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour or until evenly golden brown. Remove from oven and pour cooled syrup evenly down each row. Allow to cool several hours before cutting and serving.

Yields: 36 diamonds