MY NOSTALGIC BAKLAVA

I was first introduced to baklava when I was very little. In my hometown, Ilirska Bistrica, Slovenia, we had just one pastry shop back then. This shop was owned by a Macedonian man. He came to my hometown after the second world war ended and my home town became his hometown, too. He was a very respected hardworking man. In his shop you could buy the best ice-cream ever! My favorite flavor was lemon. And in the winter he would make the winter ice-cream (marshmallow cream) topped with thin coating of chocolate swirled into an ice-cream cone. Unforgettable! There was a wide variety of pastries in his shop and among them baklava. Though the best piece of baklava I ever ate was in Istanbul, Turkey! As for the sweets made with both kinds of fillo dough, in my book, Syria wins the first place! And here it is, my nostalgic baklava!

My Nostalgic Baklava

Valentine's Test Run II- BROCCOLI NESTS

It's time to test my appetizer recipe idea. This time with broccoli...real deal with shrimp in a creamy sauce or maybe just bake the nests, and later fill them with crab or shrimp salad or something similar.

Shredded fillo dough is so versatile. And you can go in both directions: sweet and savory.  Instead of using broccoli, you can use all kind of other fillings: meat, chicken, shrimp. You can also just bake the nests and later fill them with crab salad, fruit salad, instant pudding, ice-cream, .... possibilities are really endless!

Broccoli nests are also a perfect way to introduce youngsters to broccoli. Who can possibly resist the crunch?

Broccoli Nests