Happy National Baklava Day!

Around here, November 17th is a special day —it’s National Baklava Day! For those who don’t know, baklava is a delicious, sweet dessert that’s popular in Persian cuisine.

Thin layers of phyllo dough are brushed with butter and set on top of each other. Then, a layer of finely chopped, sweetened nuts are added, topped by more sheets of thin dough. After its baked, the dish is delicate and crispy. As a final touch, a honey-based syrup is poured over the dessert, seeping into its many layers of goodness.

There are several theories for the origins of modern baklava. As it turns out, many Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cultures have their own dish of thin dough layered with nuts and honey.

There are references to something similar to baklava dating all the way back to 8th century Assyria, where the dish was a luxury for the rich. There’s also a Roman cake from the 2nd century, which was made of thin dough layered with cheese and honey, flavored with bay leaves, and covered with more honey. Finally, there’s Persian lauzinaq —almond paste wrapped in thin sheets of pastry and coated in syrup.

Whatever the origins of today’s baklava are, it’s certainly been a delicious part of traditional Persian cuisine for many centuries.

At Moby Dick House of Kabob, we make our baklava from scratch every day. It’s our most popular dessert and the perfect way to end your meal.