If you’re usually apprehensive about making desserts and don’t consider yourself a baker, then this is the recipe for you. The filling takes seconds to pull together in the food processor, and the rest is just a matter of layering and buttering phyllo dough. Just remember: like the borek, it is very important to butter each sheet well and keep unused dough covered with a damp towel so it doesn’t dry out.
Serves: 25 pieces
Place honey, 1 ½ cups sugar, lemon juice, and 1 cup water in saucepan on high heat. Stir constantly until mixture is at a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for an additional 10 minutes, until syrup has thickened. Remove from heat and set aside.
Place pistachios, cinnamon, 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar and ½ cup sugar in food processor. Pulse briefly, until nuts are ground to a medium-fine texture, so there is still some coarseness to it and not too much oil is released.
Unroll phyllo dough and slice in half horizontally. Brush a 13x9x2 glass dish generously with melted butter. Place 1 sheet of dough into dish and brush generously with butter. Add another sheet and brush with butter. Repeat process until you have 10 to 12 layers of dough stacked with butter in between. Keep unused phyllo dough covered with a damp towel at all times because it dries out very quickly.
Preheat oven to 350˚ F. Spread 1 ½ cups filling evenly on top of dough. Drizzle 2 to 3 tablespoons of melted butter over filling. Repeat process of stacking dough and buttering sheets until you have 4 to 5 more layers. Spread an additional 1 ½ cups filling and 2 to 3 tablespoons of melted butter over dough layers. Top with another 5 layers of dough.
Score top layer of dough horizontally in 4 equal lines and then vertically, so 25 pieces are made. Bake until pastry is puffy and light golden brown, about 40 to 50 minutes. Remove from oven and pour syrup evenly on top. Cool to room temperature and serve with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar, if desired.