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Layers of buttered phyllo packed with walnuts and pistachios, soaked in lemon syrup straight from the oven. Cold syrup onto hot pastry is the rule that keeps it crisp.
Boil the 2 cups sugar with the 250 ml water for 8 minutes, then stir in the 3 tablespoons honey and the juice of half the lemon and take it off the heat. Leave it to cool completely while you build the pastry.
Pulse the 250 g walnuts and 100 g of the pistachios to a coarse crumb and mix with the cinnamon. Keep the remaining 50 g pistachios whole for the top.
Heat the oven to 170°C. Melt the 16 tablespoons butter. Brush a 30 by 20 cm tin and lay in 8 sheets of phyllo, brushing butter over each one and letting the edges climb the sides.
Scatter a third of the nuts, add 4 buttered sheets, and repeat twice more. Finish with 8 buttered sheets on top and tuck the overhanging edges down neatly.
Cut all the way through into diamonds with a sharp knife before baking, or the crisp top will shatter afterwards. Bake for 50 minutes until deep golden all over.
Pour the cold syrup slowly over the hot baklava as soon as it leaves the oven and listen for the hiss. Scatter the reserved pistachios and leave for at least 4 hours before serving.
