Phyllo Lilys (Wardat Elba’lawa)

Prep. 15 mins

Cooking 45 mins

Serving 4

Middle Eastern

INGREDIENTS Measurements

10 Phyllo sheets

Melted, clarified butter, for baking

2 1/2 cups chopped nuts tossed with ½ cup sugar, for filling

Sugar Syrup

Preheat oven to 200˚C (400˚F).
Stack phyllo sheets on a work surface. Cut into 7cm (3in) squares, keeping layers intact.
Brush each stack with melted clarified butter.
Place a tablespoon of nut mixture in the center of each square stack. Using your fingers, form each square into a lily or sack by gently pinching in over the filling to enclose it, while allowing the edges to fan out on top.
Place lilys close together in a shallow baking dish.
Pour enough clarified butter over top to cover the Phyllo Lilys. Refrigerate for 10 minutes, until set.
Bake for 45 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. Pour off excess butter. Pour enough syrup over warm pastries to cover them. Pour off excess syrup.

In this recipe, phyllo is baked in clarified butter, but similar results can be achieved by drizzeling less amount of melted butter before baking.
When making the chocolate Ba’lawa, brush sheets with a mixture of ½ cup clarified butter and 3 tablespoons cocoa powder. Continue as directed above.