Baklava is a rich, sweet pastry made of layers of filo filled with chopped nuts, sweetened and held together with syrup or honey. It is a staple of Greek, Turkish, and Middle Eastern cuisines.
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Place a layer of filo dough in the dish, brush with melted butter and repeat until half the filo is used.
Spread the nuts over the filo and sprinkle with cinnamon.
Continue layering with remaining filo, brushing each layer with butter.
Using a sharp knife, cut baklava into diamond or square shapes all the way to the bottom of the dish.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 50 minutes until golden and crisp.
While baklava is baking, combine sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Stir in honey, vanilla extract, and lemon zest, reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.
Remove the baklava from the oven and immediately spoon the syrup over it. Let cool completely before serving.
