Saragli is a traditional version of Baklava that is rolled instead of layered. They’re crisp, perfectly sweet, and irresistible. These baklava rolls are made with pistachios and soaked with a rosewater syrup. Such a flavorful combination! You can make so many different versions by using your favorite nut combinations and by flavoring the syrup with warm spices such as cinnamon and cloves, brighten it up with some citrus, or by making a vanilla-scented syrup. The options are endless.
The hardest part about making these addictive bite-sized baklavas is portion control. Eating just one or two is impossible! They’re beautiful and delicious. The perfect dessert to bring to a potluck or to serve after dinner to your guests. Did I mention how much better they taste with a cup of Greek coffee?
Make them at your next dinner party and your guests will think that you bought them from a fancy bakery. You can drizzle some melted chocolate ganache on some of them to make them extra decadent and fancy. Enjoy!
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Pistachio Baklava Rolls: Saragli
Saragli are traditional Greek baklava rolls made with layers of buttery phyllo and ground pistachios, then soaked in a fragrant rosewater syrup. Crisp, perfectly sweet, and beautiful enough for any celebration, these bite-sized pistachio baklava rolls are especially delicious served with Greek coffee or vanilla ice cream.
Ingredients
For the Baklava:
- 1-pound (#4) phyllo, thawed and at room temperature
- ¾ pound unsalted butter, melted
For the Syrup:
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 and ½ cups water
- 1 tablespoon rosewater
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Optional Syrup Flavors:
- 2 teaspoons vanilla, 1 cinnamon stick, plus 3 cloves
- 2 teaspoons vanilla, juice of half a lemon
- 2 teaspoons vanilla, juice of half an orange plus the peel of an orange
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Nut Filling—Choose One:
- 2 cups (250 grams) ground pistachios
- 2 cups (250 grams) ground walnuts, pecans, almonds, or hazelnuts
- 2 cups (250 grams) combination of walnuts and almonds with 1 teaspoon cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
For the Garnish:
- Ground pistachios
- Chocolate ganache: ¼ cup heavy whipping cream plus 2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
Instructions
Prepare the Phyllo: Thaw the phyllo pastry overnight in the refrigerator.
Keep the phyllo in its packaging and set it at room temperature for 1–2 hours. This will ensure that the phyllo is easy to handle.
Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C).
Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking tray with butter.
Make the Syrup: Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan. Stir together and bring to a boil.
Remove the syrup from the heat and add the vanilla extract and rosewater. Stir together and set aside to cool completely.
Assemble the Baklava Rolls: Place one sheet of phyllo on a clean work surface and drizzle some melted butter over it. Brush gently to spread the melted butter.
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the ground pistachios over the phyllo sheet.
Place a second sheet of phyllo on top. Brush it with melted butter and sprinkle another tablespoon of nuts over it.
Fold the sheets upward in half.
Place a wooden skewer at the bottom of the pastry and roll it up.
Scrunch the sides of the phyllo toward the center. Remove the skewer and place the baklava roll in the prepared baking tray.
Continue forming the baklava rolls until all the phyllo sheets have been used.
If you come across two phyllo sheets that are stuck together, treat them as one sheet. It is fine if a few of the baklava rolls contain three sheets. Attempting to separate the sheets may cause them to tear.
Cut and Bake: Cut the rows into thirds and brush them with the remaining butter.
Bake on the center rack of the oven for 55–65 minutes or until golden brown.
Add the Syrup: Remove the baklava from the oven and immediately pour the cooled syrup over it.
Allow the baklava to sit at room temperature for at least 2 hours.
Make the Chocolate Ganache: Heat the heavy whipping cream until scalding hot and pour it over the chocolate.
Whisk until the chocolate melts and a shiny ganache forms.
Garnish and Serve: Garnish with ground pistachios.
Drizzle the chocolate ganache over the baklava, if desired.
Serve with vanilla ice cream and coffee. Enjoy!
Notes
Thaw the phyllo overnight in the refrigerator. Keep it sealed in its packaging and bring it to room temperature for 1–2 hours before using it.
If two phyllo sheets are stuck together, treat them as one sheet. Attempting to separate them may cause both sheets to tear.
The syrup should be completely cool when it is poured over the hot baklava.
Allow the baklava to rest at room temperature for at least 2 hours after adding the syrup.
For crispier baklava rolls, bake them at 300°F until golden and crisp. They will take longer to bake at the lower temperature.
The rolls can be assembled and frozen unbaked for 1–2 months.
Use pistachios or substitute walnuts, pecans, almonds, hazelnuts, or the spiced walnut-and-almond combination listed in the recipe.
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Hi, I made this dish yesterday, using vegan ‘butter’ so nice! Thanks for sharing the recipe 😊 I absolutely love Greek food!
I love baklava, and I think I will attend to make this, I just want to let you know when you convert 1 cup either liquid or grams will be equal with 237.58 ml, or the same for grams.
I would love to give these as Christmas gifts. Can you share a technique to keep them from getting soggy. You do a great job on your videos and I love all of your recipes. Thank you for all your hard work.
These would make the best gifts!! So, you can bake these at a lower temperature (300 °F) until they’re golden and crisp. It will take much longer than the recipe suggests but they will be crispier and will keep from getting soggy. Let me know how they turn out 🙂 Happy Holidays!!
Dear Dinitra,
Im making this Baklava for my feiends B irthsday party
I mustcsay, Im a gume fan of Greek food, Im very happy to have found you
on YouTube, Iam am your follower
Oh, and by the way, your Spanakopita is the best, and my daughters favorite.
With resoect,
Evgenija Pravia
Dear Evgenija,
Thank you so much for your kind words! I’m so happy to hear that you love my recipes and that your daughter enjoys the Spanakopita. I’m sure your friends will love the Baklava at the birthday party! It’s such a delicious treat to share.
Wishing you and your family a wonderful celebration, and thank you again for following along on YouTube.
With warm regards,
Dimitra
Hi! Wondering if you can make this ahead ? Like maybe roll it up and bake the next day… or bake the night before ? What do you suggest ?
Thank you !
Yes, you can do that. You can even assemble the rolls and freeze the tray (unbaked) for up to a month or two. Enjoy!!
Hello-
I will be making this recipe next week, sounds delicious.
Question: is the phyllo rolled long side or short side? Sounds though fold it in half,roll up on skewers, put in pan, cut?
Thank you – just was not sure about the rolling b and folding
Hi Harry! I’m so glad you’re giving this recipe a try!
The phyllo is folded in half lengthwise, so you’ll have a long rectangle. Sprinkle the filling over it, place the skewer along the short end, and roll it up into a long log. Once it’s rolled, gently scrunch it toward the center of the skewer to create the ruffled look. Then remove the skewer, place the roll in the baking pan, and continue with the remaining phyllo. After baking and adding the syrup, you can cut them into individual pieces.
I hope that helps. Enjoy! 😊