Pistachio and Walnut Phyllo Rolls, Gluten Free

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the syrup first

   Combine the granulated sugar, water, and honey in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir only until the sugar dissolves, then leave it alone and let it simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, until slightly thickened. Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice and orange blossom water and cool completely. Cold syrup poured over hot pastry is the whole trick to a crisp result, and it matters even more with gluten-free dough, which softens faster.

2. 2

   Mix the gluten-free dough

   Whisk the gluten-free flour blend, xanthan gum, and salt together in a large bowl. Stir the olive oil and vinegar into the warm water, then pour it into the dry ingredients and mix until a soft, slightly tacky dough forms. Knead it in the bowl for 3 to 4 minutes, which is enough to bring the starches and gum together. If it feels stiff or crumbly, add water a teaspoon at a time; this dough should be noticeably softer than bread dough.

3. 3

   Rest the dough

   Wrap the dough tightly in plastic and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. This isn't optional with gluten-free flour. The starches need the time to fully hydrate, and a rested dough will stretch thin instead of tearing the moment you roll it.

4. 4

   Roll out the sheets

   Divide the dough into 20 equal pieces and keep them covered. Dust your work surface and rolling pin generously with cornstarch, then roll one piece at a time into a paper-thin rectangle roughly 9x12 inches, re-dusting as you go and flipping the sheet occasionally. Aim for thin enough to read print through. Gluten-free sheets tear more readily than wheat phyllo, so roll on parchment if that feels easier and simply press any splits back together. Stack the finished sheets with parchment between them and keep them covered with a barely damp towel.

5. 5

   Pulse the filling

   Pulse the pistachios and walnuts with the sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt in a food processor, using 8 to 10 short bursts until the mixture is coarse and sandy with some texture remaining. Running the machine continuously makes the nuts oily and pasty.

6. 6

   Fill and roll

   Heat the oven to 325°F (165°C) and butter a 9x13-inch pan. Lay one sheet down with a short edge facing you, brush it all over with melted butter, and sprinkle a heaping tablespoon of filling across the bottom edge, leaving an inch clear at each side. Fold the sides in, roll into a snug log, and set it seam side down in the pan. Because these sheets are a touch thicker than store-bought phyllo, one sheet per roll is plenty. Work briskly and keep the remaining sheets covered, as gluten-free dough dries and cracks quickly.

7. 7

   Butter, score, and bake

   Brush the rolls heavily with the remaining butter, making sure the ends and gaps are coated, then score into smaller pieces if you like. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, rotating halfway, until deeply golden and firm to the touch. Gluten-free pastry needs a few extra minutes and a darker color than you might expect to set up crisp, so judge by firmness as well as color, not by time alone.

8. 8

   Soak and rest

   Pour the cooled syrup slowly over the rolls the instant they leave the oven. Let them stand uncovered at room temperature for at least 4 hours or overnight before slicing and scattering the chopped pistachios on top. Gluten-free layers absorb syrup a little faster, so a full overnight rest gives the most even texture.

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Baker's Tips

• 1.

  Thaw frozen phyllo overnight in the refrigerator, then let the sealed package sit on the counter for an hour before opening. Rushing the thaw on the counter makes the sheets sweat and glue together.

• 2.

  Clarified butter or ghee in place of the melted butter gives an even crisper result, since the milk solids that soften pastry are removed.

• 3.

  If a sheet tears, patch it and carry on. Once rolled and baked, nobody can tell the difference between a pristine sheet and a mended one.

• 4.

  A silicone pastry brush drags and tears phyllo. A soft natural-bristle brush, or even a clean paintbrush dedicated to baking, handles the sheets far more gently.

• 5.

  Resist cutting into these within the first few hours. The syrup needs time to travel through the layers, and an impatient slice gives you a wet bottom and a dry top.

• 6.

  Swap the nuts freely: all walnuts, all pistachios, or a mix with almonds or pecans all work at the same total weight.