We’re reading Fugitive Pieces this month, a story about grief, memory, and the Holocaust. Divided into two parts, the first half is Jakob’s story, a survivor of the Holocaust and the second half tells of Ben, whose parents were survivors of the Holocaust.

When Jakob and Athos first move to Toronto, from Greece, they build their own community. Co-workers, shopkeepers, including Constantine, a Greek baker who brings them baklava. I feel that this book encapsulates what makes Toronto such a unique place. You can move from any country and find a little bit of home.

Given that this book takes place mostly in Greece, I thought I’d give a try at making the traditional Greek dish: baklava.

Baklava Recipe

1 (16 oz) package of Phyllo pastry

1 lbs walnuts, chopped

1 tbsp cinnamon

3/4 cup butter, melted

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup honey

1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F(175 degrees C). Butter the bottoms and sides of a 9x13 inch pan.

2. Toss walnuts with cinnamon. Set aside. Unroll phyllo dough. Cut whole stack in half to fit pan. Cover phyllo with a dampened cloth to keep from drying out as you work. Place two sheets of dough in pan, butter thoroughly. Repeat until you have 8 sheets layered. Sprinkle 2 - 3 tablespoons of nut mixture on top. Top with two sheets of dough, butter, nuts, layering as you go. The top layer should be about 6 - 8 sheets deep.

3. Using a sharp knife cut into diamond or square shapes all the way to the bottom of the pan. You may cut into 4 long rows the make diagonal cuts. Bake for about 50 minutes until baklava is golden and crisp.

4. Make sauce while baklava is baking. Boil sugar and water until sugar is melted. Add vanilla and honey. Simmer for about 20 minutes.

5. Remove baklava from oven and immediately spoon sauce over it. Let cool. Serve in cupcake papers. This freezes well. Leave it uncovered as it gets soggy if it is wrapped up.