Baklava Baklava Baklava (, , or ; ) is a rich, sweet dessert pastry made of layers of filo filled with chopped nuts and sweetened and held together with syrup or honey. It is characteristic of the cuisines of the Levant, the Caucasus, Balkans, Maghreb, and of Central and West Asia. The word "baklava" is first attested in English in 1650, a borrowing from Ottoman Turkish . The name baklava is used in many languages with minor phonetic and spelling variations. Historian Paul D. Buell argues that the word "baklava" may come from the Mongolian root ' 'to tie, wrap up,
Bulgarian cuisine St. Nicholas, December 6) fish (usually carp), while Gergyovden (Day of St. George, May 6) is typically celebrated with roast lamb. As in many areas of the Balkans that were formerly enslaved by the Ottoman Empire, food in Bulgaria is influenced by Turkish cuisine and Ottoman cuisine—"ayran", "baklava", "gyuvech", and "moussaka" are all of Ottoman derivation. Bulgarian Breakfast Cold cuts Bulgaria has a strong tradition of using milk and dairy products. The name Halva (халва) is used for several related varieties of the Middle Eastern dessert. Tahan/Tahini halva (тахан/тахини халва) is the most popular version, available in two different types