Happy Winter Olympics season, y’all!

I know it’s basically a sin to admit this in the South, but I’m generally not a huge sports fan. I don’t really keep up with collegiate football or basketball, and besides the halftime show, you wouldn’t have caught me tuning in to watch the Super Bowl this past weekend. That said, I feel I more than make up for my year-round sports apathy when the Olympics roll around every two years – I become a true fanatic.

I feel so inspired watching these incredible athletes compete. They spend years, if not decades, perfecting their craft, no matter how niche the sport (I’m looking at you, luge sliders), and they finally get the chance to test their skills on the world stage. Whether it’s a gold medal or a last-place finish, I absolutely love watching them all do their thing.

Luckily for me, my friend Randi loves the Olympics just as much as I do and is an amazing hostess to boot. Last Friday, she threw an incredible opening ceremony watch party for fellow enthusiasts. The theme was après-ski, so we donned our best cable-knit sweaters and winter hats and each arrived with a dish from a country of our choice.

I knew immediately which of my party favorites would fit the assignment – baklava bites.

Though claimed by countries such as Greece, Turkey and Lebanon, baklava’s origins reach back to ancient Mesopotamia, and the pastry is a staple of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean menus. While each country may have its own unique spin, baklava is a layered pastry that combines sheets of delicate, crispy phyllo with chopped nuts and a botanical honey syrup finish.
If you’ve never tried it, it is absolutely delicious.

In fact, you can find excellent baklava locally in Columbus at United Deli on Tuscaloosa Road. Owner Adel “Mr. John” Musa and his family are originally from Yemen, and alongside their iconic sandwiches, they make one of the best baklavas I’ve ever had.

For this party, I opted for a less traditional take on this culinary gem by using phyllo shells instead of sheets. Phyllo sheets can be quite finicky and are sometimes difficult to acquire locally, but these phyllo shells can be found in the freezer section next to puff pastry and make an easy party food with the same flavors and textures as traditional baklava.

I adapted this recipe from Middle Eastern baking blogger Donya of the TikTok account TasteAlDonya. The only changes I made were adding lemon zest and juice to the syrup and increasing the number of cardamom pods because I personally love the flavor and wanted to make sure it really came through.

This recipe is easy and quick to throw together. It only took me about 25 minutes, including bake time. The pastry shells stay flaky and crunchy, the spiced, nutty filling is rich and delicious, and the syrup balances it all out with bright, floral notes. It really is a perfect bite-size finger food.

I encourage you to try this one for your next party. I don’t know if you’re as crazy about the Olympics as I am, but if you are, I hope you’re able to tune in and cheer on these amazing athletes from the comfort of your couch – with good food in hand.

BAKLAVA BITES

Ingredients:
Syrup
3/4 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons honey
Zest and juice of one lemon
8 cardamom pods, crushed

Filling
1 1/2 cups mixed nuts (pistachios, walnuts and pecans work well)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
15 phyllo shells

Instructions:
■ Start by making the simple syrup. Combine all syrup ingredients in a pot. Bring the mixture to a boil while whisking, then reduce to a simmer for about 5 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool while preparing the filling and baking the shells.
■ Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
■ Using a food processor or high-powered blender, combine nuts, sugar, spices and salt. Pulse until the nuts are evenly chopped. Add melted butter and pulse a few more times to combine.
■ Place frozen phyllo shells on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Scoop about 1 tablespoon of filling into each shell and lightly pack. Bake for 10 minutes.
■ Immediately after removing from the oven, spoon 2 to 3 teaspoons of syrup over each shell. Let cool before serving.

Kristin is a Columbus local and a graduate of MUW’s Culinary Arts Program. She lives downtown with her husband, Jon, her naughty cat Sokka and her retired sled dog, Megan. In her free time she enjoys baking, making stained glass art and hanging out with her friends. If you see her in town, say hi!

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