Gianniotiko from Ioannina (Γιαννιώτικο)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •round metal tapsi, 30cm, or rectangular baking pan, 23 by 33cm
• •small saucepan for syrup
• •pastry brush

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the syrup

   Put the sugar, water, cinnamon stick, and lemon peel in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 6 minutes without stirring. Take it off the heat, stir in the honey and lemon juice, and let it cool completely. Cold syrup on hot pastry is the rule here, or the layers drink slowly and turn heavy.

2. 2

   Prepare the pan

   Heat the oven to 160C. Butter a 30cm round tapsi or a 23 by 33cm baking pan. Keep the phyllo covered with a clean towel while you work, because dry phyllo cracks before it has a chance to become crisp.

3. 3

   Mix the walnuts

   Combine the walnuts, breadcrumbs, cinnamon, and clove in a bowl. The walnuts should be chopped, not ground to dust. You want pieces that hold between the two phyllos.

4. 4

   Lay the kataifi

   Pull the kataifi apart gently with your fingers until the strands are loose and airy. Spread it evenly across the buttered pan and drizzle with about 90g of the clarified butter. Do not press it flat. Gianniotiko needs that loose base so the syrup can pass through without making a paste.

5. 5

   Add the walnuts

   Scatter the walnut mixture evenly over the kataifi. Pat it only enough to level it. This is a careful baker's sweet, not a thick nut brick.

6. 6

   Layer the phyllo

   Lay one phyllo sheet over the walnuts, brush with butter, and repeat until all the sheets are used. Tuck the edges neatly down the sides of the pan. Brush the top well with the remaining butter, especially the corners.

7. 7

   Score and bake

   Score the top into 16 squares or diamonds, cutting through the phyllo but not dragging through the kataifi base. Bake for 65 to 75 minutes, until the top is deep gold and the pastry feels dry and light when you lift an edge with a knife.

8. 8

   Syrup the pastry

   As soon as the Gianniotiko comes from the oven, ladle the cold syrup evenly over it. It will sound fierce at first, then settle. Leave it uncovered for at least 4 hours, and better overnight, so the kataifi base and the phyllo top find their balance.

9. 9

   Cut and serve

   Cut again along the scored lines and serve at room temperature. The top should flake under the fork, the middle should hold walnuts, and the bottom should be syruped without collapsing.

Chef Tips

• •Use good walnuts. If they smell dusty or bitter, the syrup won't save them. Liga kai kala, a few things and good ones.
• •Clarify the butter if you can. The milk solids burn before the pastry dries, and Gianniotiko needs a long, patient bake.
• •Do not cover the tray while it rests. Covering traps moisture and softens the phyllo top. A clean towel nearby is fine, but not over the pastry.
• •Serve it with Greek coffee or a small glass of cold water. This is a sweet for a celebration table, not a nibble pretending to be light.

Advance Preparation

• •Thaw the kataifi and phyllo overnight in the refrigerator, still wrapped, then bring them to room temperature before opening.
• •The Gianniotiko is best made one day ahead and left uncovered at room temperature so the syrup settles through the layers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 100g)