Baklava

High school (ages 12+)
Food & Cooking

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/baklava

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the culinary classification?Layered pastry dessert
2. What is the historical precursors?Believed to have evolved from ancient Assyrian, Greek, or Roman layered pastries
3. How is baklava made?First, thin sheets of dough called filo are brushed with butter or oil and baked until golden and crisp. Then a mixture of ground nuts and spices is spread between the layers, and after baking a syrup of sugar or honey, citrus zest, and sometimes rosewater is poured over it so the pastry soaks up the sweetness.
4. Where did baklava come from?People think baklava started with the Assyrians, who baked bread with nuts and honey, and later the Greeks, Romans, and especially the Byzantine and Ottoman empires added more layers and flavors. Over time, it spread across the Middle East, the Balkans, and North Africa.

Filo (Phyllo): Extremely thin, unleavened dough sheets, characteristic of Middle Eastern and Balkan pastries, known for their crisp texture when baked.
Byzantine Empire: The eastern continuation of the Roman Empire, known for its rich cultural and culinary heritage that influenced subsequent empires.
Clarified Butter (Ghee): Butter from which milk solids and water have been removed, resulting in a higher smoke point and richer flavor, often used in baking for crispness.
Gastronomic: Relating to or characteristic of the art of good eating and drinking.