Layered Poppy Seed Pastries Recipe

In a small bowl, combine the 1/2 cup warm milk, 1 dash sugar, and 1/4 ounce packet yeast. Stir until the yeast dissolves, then set it aside to proof.

Meanwhile, in the large bowl of an electric mixer, blend the 4 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 lemon zest.

Add the 1 cup butter to the flour mixture and blend until it resembles coarse crumbs.

In a separate small bowl, beat together the 1 whole egg plus 1 egg yolk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

Transfer the dough to a floured board and divide it into 4 equal parts. Knead each part into a flat disc, then wrap each disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

While the dough chills, spoon the 2 ounces poppy seed filling into a pastry bag. In a small bowl, blend the 1 cup sugar with the 1/2 pound ground walnuts and set this aside.

Once chilled, roll each disc of dough into a thin sheet, large enough to fit a 13- by 9-inch baking dish. Trim the edges to fit the dish precisely (you can reserve the trimmings for another use).

Arrange the first sheet of dough in the bottom of the baking dish. Pipe or spread half of the poppy seed filling evenly over this layer.

Cover the poppy seed layer with the second sheet of dough, then sprinkle it evenly with the 1 cup walnut filling. Place the third sheet of dough on top, and repeat with the remaining poppy seed filling. Finally, top with the last sheet of dough.

Cover the baking dish with a kitchen towel and let the pastries stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Bake the pastries in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F until the top is golden brown, about 45 minutes.

While still hot, cut the baked pastry into 24 squares. Let them cool completely in the pan before serving. If you plan to freeze them, wrap each pastry individually in plastic wrap, then foil, and store in a resealable plastic bag in the freezer. They'll stay crisp when defrosted.