Lamb In Phyllo Pastry Recipes

LAMB CHOPS IN PHYLLO PASTRY

Steps:

• The chops used must be cut from the rack. It is best that the butcher prepare them to order: The chine bone of a rack of lamb should be cut off and removed and the chops cut between the ribs, leaving the ribs intact and the meaty portion of each chop at least 1 inch thick. Have any fat or other coating trimmed from the perimeter of the meaty portion. Ask that each rib be scraped clean to make them ''French style.'' Sprinkle the chops with salt and pepper.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Heat the oil in a small skillet and add the rosemary, shallots and peppercorns. Smash the peeled roasted garlic cloves (they will be soft after roasting) to a fine pulp. Add this pulp to the skillet. Cook briefly, stirring, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and let cool.
• Stack two rectangles of phyllo pastry, one atop the other. Brush the top rectangle with butter.
• The meat will be attached to the bottom of the rib. Insert a small paring knife in the center of the meaty portion at the base to make a hole for stuffing. Using the fingers, stuff each hole with an equal portion of the garlic filling. Press the meaty portion so that it will set flat with the rib standing upright.
• Place the chop, rib upright, on one corner of the buttered rectangle of dough. Bring up the pastry all around to completely enclose the meat, folding and tucking it under as necessary. Leave the rib exposed.
• Stack two more rectangles of pastry and brush the top rectangle with butter. Place the pastry-wrapped chop on the rectangles and neatly wrap these pastry pieces around the chop. Continue filling chops and wrapping them in the four layers of dough. Brush the outside of each pastry-wrapped chop with a little more butter.
• Place the chops, ribs up, on a baking sheet and bake 20 minutes or until pastry is browned.
• Spoon about 1/4 cup of well-heated yellow pepper sauce onto each of four plates. Spoon about 3 tablepoons of well-heated red-pepper puree in the center. Arrange one chop, rib upright, in the center of the red sauce. Garnish, if desired, with small cutouts of fresh green or red pepper.

LAMB SAUSAGE IN PUFF PASTRY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Bake the sausage on a baking sheet for 20 minutes. Turn the sausage and bake it 5 to 10 minutes more, until it's fully cooked. Cool to room temperature.
• Unfold the puff pastry on a lightly floured board. Cut each piece in half lengthwise and brush the top sides with mustard. Divide the sausage into 4 equal pieces. Starting at the long end of the pastry, place 1 piece of the sausage on top of the mustard and roll it up tightly, overlapping the end by 1/2 inch and sealing the pastry by brushing the edge with water. Cut off the excess pastry. Roll the other 3 pieces of sausage in puff pastry. Place the 4 rolls, seam side down, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush with the egg wash. Lightly score each roll diagonally to make 7 equal pieces. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until browned. Slice and serve immediately with mustard.

LAMB BOREK

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, salt, and lamb. Break up lamb into small crumbles. Cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid evaporates, about 8 minutes. Toss in garlic, currants, pine nuts, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, paprika, black pepper, cayenne, and allspice. Cook and stir for 1 minute.
• Pour tomato sauce into the lamb mixture. Add water, stir, and reduce heat to medium. Cook until lamb mixture dries up and you can stir it without seeing liquid on the bottom of the pan, 20 to 30 minutes. Turn off heat and let cool completely before using.
• In the meantime, combine egg, yogurt, water, and butter in a bowl. Whisk together thoroughly.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Butter a round baking pan or sheet pan.
• Place 2 sheets of phyllo on your work surface. Keep remaining sheets covered with a damp towel. Sprinkle some egg wash lightly on top and spread using a pastry brush. Layer on 2 more sheets, one at a time, brushing some more egg wash over each.
• Line 1/3 of the lamb filling along one wide edge of the phyllo. Roll pastry up starting from the filling side and place it against the edge of the pan. Brush more egg wash on top.
• Shape and fill 2 more rolls with remaining phyllo, most of the egg wash, and filling. Wrap rolls along and inside the first one, filling the pan, and brush with egg wash. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until browned and crisp, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes.
• Combine yogurt, mint, lemon juice, and garlic for the yogurt sauce. Mix in enough water to achieve desired consistency for dipping. Season with salt and cayenne. Cut borek into wedges and serve with yogurt sauce.

HOMEMADE PHYLLO PASTRY

Steps:

• Sift flour and salt into a mixing bowl and add the water with oil.
• Stir until forms soft dough, then knead in the bowl about 10 minutes.
• Dough will feel sticky at first, but kneading, it should develop into a dough that becomes smooth and satiny.
• When well mixed and smooth, wrap pastry in plastic wrap and leave it to rest at room temperature about one hour.
• If not all the dough is being used right away, wrap the unused portion and keep chilled in fridge up to a week.
• Always bring to room temp before using.
• Divide the pastry into 12 equal portions, shaping them into smooth balls.
• Cover with a cloth, except the one you're working with.
• Take a ball of dough, and shape it into a square.
• Place it on a lightly floured surface, and roll into a 6 inch square using rolling pin.
• Dust again with flour.
• Take the dowel, and place on one end of the pastry, and roll neatly onto the dowel, pressing firmly as you do so.
• Keep hands on each side of the pastry.
• Unroll the pastry and dust the work surface and pastry with a little flour, and roll up again from opposite side as before, exerting pressure as you go.
• Unroll carefully.
• After second rolling, the pastry should be about 10x12 inches.
• Using the back of your hands, place them under the pastry and stretch gently, moving hands to keep it even, working toward the edges.
• The edges can be given a final stretch with the fingertips.
• You should wind up with a pastry that's 14x18 inches in size.
• Place on a cloth, cover with wax paper and fold the cloth over the top.
• Repeat the above process with remaining dough balls, laying each on top of the previous one with wax paper between them.
• Use soon after making as they'll go sour if you keep them too long.
• If desired, you can roll them out more thinly.
• Repeating the dowel rolling process more will result in a thinner square each time.
• Phyllo can be used like a puff pastry when thicker, or it's wonderful in baklawa, lamb pastries, or many other mid eastern sweets when rolled very thin.
• In Greece, they'll often use phyllo as a crust for certain types of pies, such as spinach.

GREEK LAMB PIE

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 400°F.
• Lightly grease a 8 1/2 in springform pan.
• Fry the mince and onion in a dry nonstick pan until golden.
• Add the garlic, tomatoes, mint, nutmeg and seasoning.
• Bring to the boil, and simmer, stirring occasionally until most of the liquid has evaporated.
• Wash the spinach and remove any tough stalks, then cook the leaves in only the water clinging to them for about 2 minutes.
• Drain the leaves well and then mix through the meat mixture.
• I sometimes add 1/4 lb of crumbled feta at this stage.
• Lightly brush each sheet of phyllo pastry with oil and lay in overlapping layers in the tin, leaving enough over hanging to wrap over the top.
• Spoon the meat and spinach mix in then wrap the pastry over to enclose.
• Scrunch up any remaining pastry into balls, and place over the top of the pie.
• Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and then bake for about 25-30 minutes or until golden.
• I like to let this cool a little, and serve it with a green salad.