notbob wrote:
> On 2010-06-29, Terry Pulliam Burd > wrote:
>
>> water, as it's overly wet, but the flavor is perfect.
>
> Couldn't be. NO CARDAMOM!!
>
> As a baklava freak, I'm definitely going to follow your lead. Never
> tried it before, but am working with phyllo for the first time, today
> (spanakopita). If I don't screw up, I'll try baklava. But, I've had
> the greatest baklava on the planet and it included cardamom. How
> much, I can't say. All I know is, as a long time baklava eater,
> cardamom takes it from lovely to sublime.

Don't be afraid. Just have everything ready to go so you can work
quickly. You will need a surface large enough to lay out the roll of
phyllo and a damp cloth to cover it, the melted butter and the filling.
Phyllo is paper thin and dries out very quickly, making it brittle. Peel
off the top layer, lay it in place and brush with butter. Repeat. Count
on some of the sheets tearing, but don't worry about it. Just try to
move quickly and get the butter on and the pile covered up again.

If you are making a pan of spanakopita it is pretty much the same as
making a pan of baklava. If you are making individual spanakopita you
will have to slice stips of phyllo and wrap it up, which is trickier
than just laying it in a pan.