Harvesting Walnuts and Baking Baklava! Delicious Homemade Dessert

Dear friends, welcome to our channel. Today, we're coming to you from a peaceful, faraway village in Azerbaijan, surrounded by nature at its purest. We're excited to share with you a slice of Azerbaijani life, and of course, a taste of our authentic cuisine. For this episode, we're making something truly special – Azerbaijani Paklava. This dessert has been passed down for generations, and it holds a deep cultural and traditional significance. So, sit back, get comfy, and prepare to experience a dessert that's been cherished by Azerbaijani families for centuries. Azerbaijani Paklava is made from layers of incredibly thin dough with a rich filling of finely chopped nuts. Typically, the filling is a blend of ground walnuts and hazelnuts, mixed with a hint of sugar and cardamom for that warm, sweet aroma. And guess what? We're here today to gather our walnuts straight from this walnut tree. Here's the plan. I'm going to climb up this tree and give it a good shake until every last walnut comes tumbling down into this white sheet below, fresh and ready for our Paklava. Hey, I see you've got your eye on the walnuts too, but sorry my friend, that hay over there is for you. Go enjoy your snack while we get to work. Let me tell you a little about the origins of Azerbaijani Paklava. Traditionally, it's prepared during Nowruz, our New Year celebration, marking the end of spring. The addition of walnuts is believed to symbolize prosperity and abundance. It's a sweet treat that's not just delicious, but meaningful too. Growing up, I remember my grandmother always preparing Paklava with walnuts she'd hand-picked herself, just like we're doing today. You've really got to be in good shape to handle tasks like this. Luckily, living in the village keeps you active without the need for any extra workouts. There's always something to do, whether it's gathering walnuts or working in the garden, so staying fit just becomes part of daily life. Now that we've collected the walnuts, it's time to sort through them, picking out the leaves and any spoiled ones. This is where the real work begins, but I find it quite satisfying. As I sort them, the smell of freshly collected walnuts fills the air, earthy, slightly sweet and nutty. My wife, smart as ever, is wearing gloves. Unlike me, she won't end up with that brownish stain on her hands. You know, when you clean or handle walnuts, the oils in their outer husks leave a stain on your fingertips. It's a natural dye. It doesn't wash off easily, and it'll linger for a while, but it's just part of the process. Of course, no matter how much work there is, we always make time for a little fun. These dogs, I love them to bits. They bring so much joy to life out here. All right, time to get serious. My job now is to crack open all these walnuts and get the kernels out. Let's get to it. It's going to be a long process, but it's worth it for the paklava. Paklava dough should be incredibly soft and pliable. To achieve this perfect texture, my wife will add a mixture of melted butter and warm milk. This combination is essential. It enriches the dough, making it smooth and easy to work with. Next, my wife will prepare a mixture of sugar and yeast. This will slightly thicken the dough, creating a bread-like texture. The yeast plays a crucial role here, providing that delightful rise that will make our paklava layers fluffy and light. Now it's time to sift the flour. Never skip this step. Sifting helps to aerate the flour, making it lighter and fluffier. This results in a finer, more tender texture for our paklava, ensuring that every bite is a melt-in-your-mouth experience. I'm almost done cleaning the walnuts. Have you ever noticed that whenever you eat walnuts outside in the open air, they seem to taste even better? As we continue, she adds a sprinkle of turmeric to the orange hue. This not only adds color, but also imparts a subtle warmth to the flavor profile. Now she gently pours the melted butter mixed with warm milk into the flour. The aroma fills the kitchen. This is where the magic begins, transforming simple ingredients into a luxurious dough. Look at this color. It's a beautiful golden hue, a sign that we're on the right path. The dough is smooth and silky, a perfect canvas for the delicious layers to come. Now my wife and I will finish cleaning the walnuts together. Working side by side will make this process much faster and more enjoyable. Meanwhile, let's preheat the oven to ensure it's nice and hot when our paklava is ready to go in. A well-heated oven is key to achieving that perfect golden brown finish that we all love. She's going to give the walnuts a quick roast now. This step will intensify their flavor, releasing their natural oils and creating a wonderful aroma. It's the little touches that make all the difference. She will roast these walnuts in small batches, ensuring that each one gets that perfect roasting touch. It's essential to roast them evenly to enhance their flavor and aroma, making them the perfect complement to the sweet. After roasting, we'll let them cool down a bit before we mince them using a manual kitchen grinder. The slow manual grinding process gives the walnuts a finer texture, which will blend seamlessly with the sugar for the filling. The preparation of paklava is often a communal activity, especially during festivals like Nowruz in Azerbaijan. If you ever visit during this time, you'll witness the lively atmosphere surrounding this tradition. Each family member plays a specific role. Someone is shelling walnuts, another is grinding them, and someone else is carefully roasting them. The key figure, usually the mother, grandmother or aunt, brings it all together. Once the paklava is cooked, it's time to cover it with syrup. This step gives it that beautiful glistening glow that makes it so irresistible. My wife likes to add lemon slices to the syrup, giving it a slight citrusy kick that balances the richness of the nuts and butter. Now it's time to prepare the filling, and the process is quite simple but vital to the flavor. We'll add an equal portion of sugar to the minced walnuts. This mixture will form the sweet nutty heart of our paklava, and when baked it becomes soft and slightly caramelized. Now you're going to witness the art of shaping the dough for paklava. It's more than just a culinary technique, it's an art form passed down through generations. Look at how my wife's hands move with skill and precision, gently playing with the dough. As she rolls out the dough, she ensures that it's thin enough to be delicate but still flexible enough to hold together. This balance is crucial. Too thick and it'll be chewy, too thin and it'll tear. Now comes one of the most important steps, applying lots of melted butter to the tray and brushing each layer of dough. This is what makes the paklava so soft, buttery and melt in your mouth. After brushing each layer generously with the melted butter, we add a hearty amount of the walnut and sugar filling. It's essential to spread it evenly, so every bite of paklava has that perfect balance of crunchy, sweet and nutty flavors. Once the filling is in place, we carefully lay the next sheet of dough over it, adjusting it at the edges and pressing down firmly to stick it on the sides. This creates a neat seal, ensuring the layers will bake perfectly without the filling spilling out. Our viewers come from diverse countries, each with its own rich culture, history and cuisine. So I'm curious, what's the hallmark dish of your traditional cuisine that has been cherished across generations? Drop a comment and share with us. Let's celebrate the beauty of our cultural heritage through food. In Azerbaijani tradition, paklava is always cut into a diamond shape before baking and this shape holds deep symbolic meaning. The diamond represents the fire element, which is central to the Nowruz celebration. Fire symbolizes purification, renewal and the welcoming of spring. Just as we jump over fires during Nowruz to cleanse ourselves for the new year, this symbolism is reflected in our food as well, with the diamond-shaped paklava marking the connection to fire, renewal and the continuity of life. Now we brush the paklava with egg yolks to give it that golden glow when it bakes. The sheen from the egg wash adds to its visual appeal, making the top layer gleam like a jewel. And here comes the most satisfying part of making paklava, placing a half walnut in the center of each diamond. It's a final touch that makes each piece unique. All right, time to send the paklava on its last trip into the oven. The smell of the melting butter, the roasted walnuts and the slightly sweet dough is going to fill the house soon, creating an irresistible aroma. Meanwhile, let's brew some tea with rosebuds. This delicate floral tea is the perfect companion to our rich, sweet paklava. It's a classic pairing, especially in Azerbaijan, where tea is always present at the table. The paklava is ready. It's a sentimental moment for me. I enjoyed the process so much that seeing the final result fills me with pride. The sight of the golden, glistening paklava gives me a thrill deep in my soul, reminding me of my heritage and the traditions passed down through generations. Time to pour the syrup. The smell is not just mouth-watering, it's almost intoxicating. The joy we feel is undeniable and we can't hide our smiles. Paklava is a sweet delight that brings so much happiness to the table. I hope, my friends, that you enjoyed this episode and that we filled your hearts with love, reminding you of the beauty of traditional cuisine. See you later and don't forget to subscribe and like the video.