Zzaika

• All-purpose Unbleached Flour : 3 Cups,
• Active dry yeast:  2 Packets or 1 1/2 Tbsps,
• Milk: 1/2 cup. I use 2% Reduced fat, you can use as per your preference,
• Butter: 1 Tbsp,Unsalted
• Water: warm 2 cups,
• Sugar: 1 Tsp,
• Salt : 1/2 Tsp.

Method

• Take the warm water and  add the yeast,sugar and salt to it and keep it covered for 10 minutes until it gets frothy.
• Now in a large mixing bowl, take the flour and once the yeast becomes frothy add it to the flour. 
• Use a hand mixer on medium for 3 minutes to mix the flour with the yeast and once the dough starts getting sticky, you can remove the hand mixer and knead the dough with your hands.  If you have your stand mixer,put on the dough hook and mix for 5 minutes. I do not prefer the stand mixer and I like using my hands to knead the dough. But when kneading the dough by hands, take care not to over-knead. If you over knead after removing the hand mixer, the yeast will stop acting ,resulting in a very hard bread dough. 
• Now cover this dough with a cling wrap and keep it in a warm place until it rises to double its size.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Take a 9 inch circular baking pan or if you have a spring foam pan,you can use that as well, and line it with parchment paper or wax paper. 
• Now punch the risen bread dough until it deflates completely. Now place this dough on a floured surface and using a rolling pin, roll the dough in a very thin rectangle. The thinner the rectangle the more fine the braid of the bread will be.
• Spread a thin layer of the pesto over this rectangle. Now starting from the longer edge, start rolling the dough to form a log.
• I do not have the pictures of this process because I was more focused on getting it right,before my li'l ones wake up after their afternoon nap. But when I make this bread again,I will surely post the pictures. Cut the dough into half, lengthwise and place them in an X shape with the cut side facing up.
• Start laying the two pieces of dough,placing the left side over right and do this till you reach the end of the pieces. Once you reach the end of the pieces, pinch the ends together.
• Now very gently roll the braid in a spiral,inside the spring foam/baking pan. This is a very delicate bread.To get the braids well, place them facing upwards and pinch the end delicately.
• Let it rise in a warm place till it doubles in size. 
• Bake the risen bread in the oven at set temperature for 10 minutes and then reduce the temperature of the oven to 325 degrees F for 20-25 minutes more till the bread in nice golden brown in color and done from inside. Brush it with some butter and let it cool.

• 1 pack Athens Fillo Pastry sheets thawed( This is available is super target or may be walmart),
• 1/2 pound walnuts crushed ( not too fine ) (you can add other nuts like pistachios,almonds and they taste good too)
• Confectioners sugar:enough to coat the crushed walnuts,
• 1 stick of unsalted butter to brush on the layers.

• 2 cups water,
• 1 1/2 cup sugar,
• Honey : 1 Tbsp,
• Fresh Lemon Juice: 1 Tbsp
• Cinnamon (optional) : a pinch or depending on how much you like cinnamon.I have not added any cinnamon here.
• Pistachio powder for garnishing

• To make the syrup, mix the sugar to the water and boil it until you get a two thread consistency syrup. Do not over-boil else the syrup won't be the soaked by the fillo dough sheets. One the desired consistency is achieved, add honey and fresh lemon juice and keep it aside to cool.
• For the filling,mix all the ingredients,except the unsalted butter.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 12-by-9-inch or 13-by-9-inch baking pan or 15-by-10-inch jelly roll pan. Sometimes 350 degrees will be very high for baking,so depending on your over,preheat the oven to temperatures between 315 to 350 degrees.
• Place a sheet of fillo in the prepared pan and lightly brush with butter. Repeat with 7 more sheets. Spread with half of the filling. Top with 8 more sheets, brushing each with butter. Use any torn sheets in the middle layer. Spread with the remaining nut mixture and end with a top layer of 8 sheets, continuing to brush each with butter. Cut/trim any overhanging edges.
• Using a sharp knife, cut 6 equal lengthwise strips (about 1 3/4 inches wide) through the top layer of pastry. Make 1 1/2-inch-wide diagonal cuts across the strips to form diamond shapes.
•  Just before baking, lightly sprinkle the top of the pastry with cold water. This prevents the pastry from curling. Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 300 degrees and bake until golden brown, about 15 additional minutes.
• Cut through the pastry sheets and drizzle with the sugar-honey syrup. Let it stand for 5-7 hours,so that the syrup is completely absorbed by the fillo sheets. You can garnish it with powdered pistachios as shown in the picture above. 

eğlenebilir !!! ( enjoy yourself )