Bülbül Yuvası – Nightingale’s Nest

Ingredients

• FILLING: 2 cups (200 gr) walnuts, finely chopped, 1 tablespoon sugar ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• PASTRY: 12 frozen filo pastry (strudel) sheets, 1 cup (200 gr) unsalted butter, melted
• SYRUP: 1 ½ cups (270 gr) sugar, 1 ¼ cups (312 ml) water, juice of ½ lemon
• GARNISH: ¼ cup (25 gr) ground pistachio nuts or ground walnuts

Directions

Make the walnut filling by mixing all ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.

Place one sheet of filo pastry on a clean surface. Brush with butter. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon walnut filling evenly over the sheet. Place a thin 1-inch (2.5 cm) rolling pin at the narrow end of the sheet and roll up the pastry on the pin. Gently push the rolled-up pastry from both ends towards the center to compress. Pull out the rolling pin. Form into a spiral shape and place on a buttered baking tray. Repeat with the remaining pastry sheets. Bake in moderate oven for about 30 minutes, until golden brown.

While nightingale nests are baking boil sugar and water for 15 minutes. Add lemon juice 2 minutes before removing from heat.

Pour lukewarm syrup over hot nests, allow time to absorb syrup and cool. Transfer to a serving platter. Garnish with ground pistachio nuts or walnuts. Serve with whipped cream.

6 servings.