Filo Pastry Meat Pie : Bureek Tajin (رقاق باللحم المفروم (قلاش

Bureek Tajin (also known as Suniyet Ruqaq in Egypt) is a  meat pie served as a side dish, and is a popular accompaniment to soup during Ramadan. Leftovers make a great snack or light meal the next day.

The pie  is  made of two layers of thin dough (each made up of several sheets of filo or Egyptian ruqaq) sandwiching minced meat. As there is no fiddly shaping and stuffing its an easy way to make a large amount of pastry.

Serves 8 as Side dish

Ingredients

 1 pack filo pastry 400g

100 g melted butter or 50g melted butter + 1 cup corn oil

Filling

500g minced meat

2 onions, finely chopped 

1/4 cup finely chopped parsley (optional)

1/2 a nutmeg, freshly grated
1 tablespoon mixed spices (hrarat)

salt and  pepper to taste

Glaze 

1 egg mixed with 1 cup milk, salt and peper

1 cup stock

Melt the butter and mix with oil

Grease a large oven proof dish about (30x40 cm) with butter.

Divide the filo pastry sheets into two equal piles, then wrap each in a towel. Cover the bottom of the dish with filo, trim and use a second sheet if necessary. Brush with a little melted butter then add another layer of filo, continue until you have used half the pastry.

Soften the onion in a little oil or butter, add the minced meat and the spices, cover until cooked. 

Spread the prepared filling evenly on top of the filo pastry, then cover with the remaining sheets ,brush with a little melted butter in between the layers .

Spread the last of the melted butter over the top layer, cut into large squares and place in the middle of the hot oven  about 220 °C.  

When the top layer has turned golden (about 10 minutes), remove from oven then spoon about 1 cup of stock over the cracks and the edges of the tray. 

Whisk the egg with the cup of milk, add salt and pepper to taste. Then spoon the egg mix over the  the whole tajin surface and around the edges. Return to the oven until all the liquid absorbed, about 20 minutes.

When cooked remove the Bureek Tajeen from the oven and leave to cool before cutting along the marks you have made. 

Pumpkin and Bechamel Pudding قرعة بالبشامل

Stewed pumpkin topped with bechamel is a surprisingly addicitive combination. It is a dessert that is well-loved in Egypt and Eastern Libya. While pumpkin is almost a staple vegetable in Libyan cuisine, it is mostly used in savoury dishes, such as couscous, lamb stew or steamed pasta. This pumpkin pie is one of the few exceptions. The Egyptian version of the pudding includes a sprinkling of raisins and nuts between the layer of pumpkin and bechamel, and these can be easily added to this East Libyan recipe.  Pumpkin with bechamel is easy to make, and is delicious served either hot or cold.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1/2 kilo pumpkin

100g butter (melted)

100g flour

2 cups sugar

2 cups milk

2 teaspoons vanilla sugar or 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Stick of cinnamon (optional)

2 eggs

Cut pumpkin into squares and place in a pan with 1 cup of sugar and just enough water to cover, and the cinnamon stick if using. Cook on low heat until pumpkin is tender.

Remove the pumpkin, leaving about 2 cups of liquid in the pan. 

Add the flour to the liquid.

Add 1 cup of sugar and 2 cups of milk while whisking.

Add the eggs and the vanilla and stir until smooth.

To inrtensify the sweet bechamel's pumpkin flavor, add a few pieces of pumpkin and mash. Pour in the melted butter  and give one final stir.

Mash the rest of the pumpkin squares with a fork roughly.

Spread less than a third of the pumpkin bechamel in an oven-proof dish, add mashed pumpkin on top, and then cover with the rest of the pumpkin bechamel. 

Place in the oven until surface becomes golden. Serve hot or cold.