Turkish Beef Pastries
Jalapenos are the most popular chile peppers in the US. This is probably due to the availability and versatility of the chile. Jalapenos have a balanced combination of flavor and heat.
The demand for these have caused breeders to develop a broad range of varieties. You can now get jalapenos with various heat level and sizes. These can be used in salsas, stuffed, or eaten straight with cheeseburgers (my personal favorite).
Ingredients:
3 Tbsp. peanut oil
1 tsp. cumin
1 large onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3/4 tsp. ground allspice
1 large green pepper, chopped
2 jalapenos, chopped
1 pound ground beef
1 large tomato, chopped
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp. dill weed
phyllo dough
unsalted butter, melted
Instructions:
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and saute the onions, pine nuts and cumin until the onions begin to brown. Add the garlic and allspice and cook for 1 minute, then add the peppers and meat. Simmer until the meat browns.
Reduce the heat and add the tomatoes. Simmer for 5 minutes, then add the herbs, salt and pepper. The filling should be moist but not watery.
Cut the phyllo stack lengthwise into 3 strips. Place 1 Tbsp. of filling at the end of the strip and fold into triangles. Place in the baking pan seam side down and brush the tops with butter. Bake for 25 minutes at 350F.
Yields 8 servings.
Recipe adapted from “Classical Turkish Cooking” by Ayla Algar.