Greek baklava made from filo dough with nuts

Ingredients:

For the filling and dough:

• 450 g of walnuts or a mixture of walnuts, pistachios, and almonds
• 450 g filo dough (defrost according to package instructions)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 225 g butter
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the syrup:

• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 tbsp. honey
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 strip (2.5 cm) lemon zest
• A pinch of ground cinnamon
• A pinch of ground cardamom

Preparation:

1. To prepare the syrup: In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, honey, water, lemon juice, cinnamon sticks, lemon zest, cloves, and cardamom.
   
   Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until the sugar dissolves. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the syrup thickens slightly, about 10 minutes. Remove the cinnamon sticks and lemon zest and let the syrup cool.
2. Using a chef's knife, finely chop the nuts. (If you have a food processor, you can pulse the nuts.) In a medium bowl, combine the nuts, cinnamon, and salt. Mix well.
   
   Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat.
   
   Using a pastry brush, lightly grease a 33x23cm or 38x25cm baking dish with a little melted butter.
3. Open the package of thawed phyllo dough and lay the thin sheets out on a clean work surface. Measure the sheets: if they're approximately the same size as the baking dish you're using, proceed.
   
   If the sheets of dough are larger than the baking pan, trim them with a sharp knife to roughly fit the baking pan. Discard any trimmings. Cover the sheets of dough with a piece of plastic wrap and a slightly damp kitchen towel, as phyllo dough dries out very quickly if left uncovered.
4. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 180°C.
   
   Place one sheet of phyllo dough in the bottom of a greased pan and lightly brush with a little melted butter. Repeat with 6 more sheets of dough for a total of 7 layers. Measure out about 3/4 cup of the nut mixture and spread it evenly over the greased pastry base.
   
   Repeat the same process with 7 more sheets of phyllo dough, buttering each layer as before, and top with another 3/4 cup of the nut mixture. Continue layering the dough, 7 sheets at a time, alternating with 3/4 cup of the nuts, until all the nut mixture has been used.
   
   Place the remaining sheets of filo pastry on top, brushing each layer with butter until all the pastry is used.
5. Using a sharp knife, make 4 slits lengthwise, cutting through all layers of dough, at intervals of 4 cm. (You should have 5 strips, each 4 cm wide.) Then, using a knife, make diagonal slits through the strips, 4 cm apart, to create diamond-shaped shapes. You should have approximately 36 diamond-shaped pieces of baklava.
   
   Bake the baklava until golden brown, about 40 minutes.
   
   Using oven mitts, remove the baklava pan from the oven and let it sit on a wire rack for 5 minutes to cool slightly. Using a ladle or a small measuring cup, pour a small amount of the cooled syrup over the warm baklava. Let it sit for a few hours before serving.