Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Start with one sheet of phyllo dough, brush with melted butter, and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of sugar. Add another sheet of phyllo on top and repeat until you have 6 sheets stacked.

Transfer the stacked phyllo sheets to an 8-inch pan, letting the edges hang over the sides.

Repeat this process with 6 more sheets of phyllo, then add them to the pan in the opposite direction so the entire edge of the pan is covered.

Use a fork to prick the bottom of the dough. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Lower the oven temperature to 320°F.

In a medium bowl, combine the chopped pistachios, powdered sugar, and melted butter. Mix well.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together all the cheesecake ingredients: cream cheese, mascarpone, heavy cream, sugar, eggs, flour, and cornstarch until smooth.

Spread half of the pistachio mixture over the phyllo crust in the pan. Gently press down with your hands. Pour the cheesecake mixture over the pistachio layer. Set aside.

Cut 3 sheets of phyllo into 8-inch circles. For each layer, brush with 1/2 tablespoon melted butter and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon sugar, stacking them as you go.

Press the remaining pistachio mixture on top of the phyllo circles, then carefully place this on top of the cheesecake filling. Prepare 12 square layers of phyllo, repeating the butter and sugar process between each layer.

Cut the stack into an 8-inch circle. Bake the cheesecake for 60-70 minutes, until the phyllo is golden brown and crisp.

Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Pour half of the warm syrup over the baklava and around the edges. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Slice and serve with extra syrup for added sweetness.