Greek cuisine · Desserts & Sweets

Saragli

Phyllo rolled around a walnut-cinnamon filling, baked crisp and soaked in cold syrup.

Ingredients · for 8 servings

• 400 g phyllo dough
• 300 g walnuts
• 200 g butter
• 400 g sugar
• 300 ml water
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 100 g breadcrumbs

Instructions

1. First make the syrup: bring the sugar, water, cinnamon stick and lemon juice to a boil and simmer uncovered at a bubbling boil for 8–10 min., then let cool completely — cold syrup on hot pastry gives crisp rolls.
2. Finely chop the walnuts and mix with the breadcrumbs, cinnamon and ground cloves; melt the butter and preheat the oven to 170 °C top/bottom heat.
3. Layer two phyllo sheets on top of each other, brush with butter and spread a quarter of the walnut mixture in a strip along the long edge.
4. Roll the dough tightly into a thin log and carefully push it together from both ends like an accordion to about two-thirds of its length — this creates the typical folds.
5. Place the logs snugly side by side in a buttered dish, score into 6 cm pieces with a sharp knife before baking, pour the remaining butter over them and bake golden brown for 40–45 min.
6. Pour the cold syrup evenly over the hot pastry right away, let it soak for at least 4 hours and serve the pieces at room temperature.