Spiced Beef Puffs

Spiced Beef Puffs—baked spiced beef puffs made with puff pastry, ground beef and spices. They are light, flaky and very easy to prepare, and you can have them for lunch or dinner.

Beef puff pastries are very popular around the world because they make the perfect light meal, very easy to prepare, yet deliciously satisfying. They come in different versions, shapes and sizes, but the base is always the same, dough, beef and spices.

These addictive pastries are also very popular in the Middle East and can be bought fresh from any bakery or frozen from many stores and supermarkets.

In Lebanon, particularly the North, the people of Tripoli have a unique way in making them. They are considered as a delicacy, and I make sure to enjoy them every time I visit the city.

Ingredients Needed:

To make these puffs you need puff pastry sheets, ground beef, chopped onion, olive oil, seasoning, chopped mint and chopped parsley.

You will also need tahini, pomegranate molasses and yogurt. These additions are some of the many variations in making traditional meat puffs around the Middle East and the reason for their unique flavor.

How to Make Spiced Beef Puffs

Defrost the puffs and bring to room temperature beforehand. I use a 9×9″ (22.86 x 22.86cm) store–bought pre–rolled sheet of Pepperridge Farm Puffs, but you can use any brand you like.

Preparing the Beef

In a cooking pan on medium heat, add the olive oil and sauté the onions until translucent. Add the ground beef with the seasoning and cook for five minutes. Pour in tahini, pomegranate molasses and yogurt and stir for a couple of minutes. Finally, add chopped mint and parsley and give it a quick stir. Turn off the heat and set aside to cool. Make sure not to overcook the meat. The moister the meat, the better it is for this particular recipe.

Preparing the Puffs

Start by heating the oven to 350F (180C) and lining a 10 x 15″ (25.4 x 38 cm) baking sheet with parchment paper. Then, dust your work surface with flour and roll out the pastry dough into a large rectangle.

Cut the dough into squares (roughly 5 x 5″) and transfer them to the baking sheet. Spread the meat mixture onto the pastry squares, leaving half an inch of a border around the edges and top with pine nuts. Brush the edges with a beaten egg or milk and then bake for 20 minutes.

What to Have with Beef Puffs

Beef Puffs can be served with a splash of lemon juice or pomegranate molasses. Also, try them with Yogurt Sauce or Tahini Sauce along side Tabbouleh, Hummus or Arugula Salad.

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