Pictures By Alan

Baklava has to be cut before it is cooked, because it crumbles so easily after cooking. Jessica has experience with the paper-thin phyllo dough, which, even uncooked, is difficult to cut because it tends to stick to the knife. She has found that a very brief toasting in an oven, just a couple minutes, dries the top layer and makes it less sticky. We did it. It works. That's a tip to remember.