Recipe: Feteer bel Asaag (Pastry with Ground Meat), Fatayer, Strained Yogurt Triangles for Heather

Feteer bel Asaag (Pastry with Ground Meat - Egypt)

1 large onion chopped
1 pound super lean ground beef
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups water
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup chopped nuts (almonds or walnuts) optional
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 egg
1/2 cup milk (skim milk if you like)
1 package frozen filo dough sheets (thawed overnight)

Saut the onion in the oil until it changes color to dark yellow. Add the meat and brown it then add the water, salt and pepper and let it cook until all the water has evaporated. If you decide to use nuts add them at this time.

Open the filo dough package and divide the sheets in half.

In a greased 9 x 12 x 3-inch baking dish layer 2 to 3 sheets at a time and sprinkle them with a few drops of the melted butter, and so on until you finish the first half of the sheets.

Spread the meat and nut mixture on it and start doing the same thing with the other half of the sheets. Don't worry about spreading the butter on the sheets. When you finish with all the dough cut the feteer in 2 x 1-inch squares with a sharp knife.

Mix together the left-over melted butter, the egg and the milk and a pinch of salt (not much) beat it with fork. At this point, if you want, you can wrap the dish in plastic wrap and refrigerate until 1/2 hr before it is time to eat.

Pour the egg mixture gently over the feteer and bake, uncovered, in a 375 degree F oven for about 20 minutes or until the milk is absorbed and the feteer turns gold yellow.

Fatayer
Will make about 45

The pastry:
80g butter melted
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup water
2 cups plain flour
1 egg lightly beaten

Cheese filling:
1 cup grated feta cheese
1 cup white creamed cheese
2tbs chopped parsley
1tsp lemon juice

NOTE: ** Important **
When using fresh vegetables and herbs, make sure they are washed thoroughly and drained.

To make the cheese filling: Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

To make the pastry: Combine butter, oil and water in bowl. Add sifted flour, 1tbs at a time, stirring to a smooth paste between additions. Continue adding the flour until a soft dough is formed. Turn dough onto floured surface, knead gently until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Divide pastry in half; roll each half between sheets of cling film until very thin. Use a cutter or teacup. Cut circles from the pastry (you can make them bigger if you like) Drop 1 tsp of filling into the centre of each circle. Fold over and pinch edges together to seal. Place pastries on greased oven trays and brush with egg. Bake in a moderately hot oven for about 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Strained Yogurt Triangles

1 small onion, very finely chopped
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/8 tsp finely ground black pepper
salt to taste
1 small tomato, diced into very small cubes
5 oz (about 3/4 cup) strained yogurt
1/2 tsp butter, softened
triangle pastry

A few hours ahead of time: Put the strained yogurt in a cheese cloth and hang it over the sink or place it in a colander to drain its excess water.

Put the chopped onion in a mixing bowl, add the cinnamon, allspice, pepper and salt to taste and rub the seasonings into the onion with your fingers to soften it. Add the diced tomato, strained yogurt and butter and mix well together. Taste, adjust seasoning if necessary, cover with a clean paper towel and set aside.

Prepare the crescent and triangle pastry and follow the instructions to make the crescents or triangles.