Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Use 8x8 pan ( or 9x7 - preferred ).
Place the cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, sugar and salt in a food processor and run until uniform.
Add nuts and pulse until medium fine chop.
Take one sheet of phyllo and brush with butter, repeat with second sheet, add third sheet and brush left half. Fold in half. Brush top half and fold again. Brush with butter.
This should form a 9x7 rectangle with 12 layers for bottom crust.
Transfer to pan and tuck edges.
Sprinkle 1/3 of nut mixture on top ( about 2/3 cup ).
Repeat using 2 sheets each time ( 8 layers each after folding ) for a stack of 4 dough layers separated by 3 nut mixture layers.
Using a sharp knife, cut the baklava into 9 squares, then cut diagonally to make 18 triangles.
Bake the baklava for 35-40 minutes, until golden on the edges and tops. Then let cool for at least 15 minutes.
While baklava is cooling, bring all the syrup ingredients to a boil in a saucepan, then reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes.
Remove the lemon peel strip and pour the hot syrup evenly over the baklava.
Let the baklava cool completely at room temperature for 8 hours (uncovered, to prevent sogginess).