Baklava is a sweet dessert made with pastry. It’s popular in the Balkan countries, but there are doubts about its history. The versions can vary slightly and each country appears to want to claim the creation as its own.
The truth is, baklava has been around for such a long time it’s highly unlikely anyone will ever discover its true origin.
Although I’d seen baklava before, I tried it for the first time in Skopje, Macedonia. There’s a place on the top floor of the Ramstore Mall that only sells baklava. It has a few different styles but the only difference is the appearance.
The portions were small but I only wanted one piece, to try. Because I’d shown an interest in the history of baclava and asked the girl behind the counter about it she let me have a piece for free. I went back a week later, bought three pieces and only paid 25 MKD (€0.41) per piece.
Although it’s possible to make baklava with honey, the ones I ate were made with syrup. They were very sweet and appeared to have some ground pistachio nuts in them.
If you are ever in Macedonia, or any of the other Balkan countries, and have the chance to try baklava, don’t let the opportunity pass you by. It’s bound to be very high in calories, but it’s cheap to buy and tastes great.