Elawin

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Ouzi is a traditional Middle Eastern dish eaten during Ramadan. There are several different versions of ouzi, but this recipe is for a lamb and rice pilaf wrapped in filo pastry.

Prep. and cooking time: 60 minutes
No. of servings: 6

Ouzi.jpg


Ingredients:

3 carrots, finely diced
1 onion, finely chopped
750 g minced lamb meat
Salt and black pepper, to taste
150 g green peas, fresh, or frozen and thawed
1½ tsp cumin
1½ tsp cinnamon powder
30 g flaked almonds
300 g basmati rice, cooked
Olive oil, or melted butter
2x270 g boxes Jus-Rol filo pastry
1 egg, beaten

Method:

1. Heat the oil or butter in a large pan and add the onion and the carrots. Cook at a medium to low heat, stirring occasionally until they are tender, then add the lamb, season and cook at a medium heat until the lamb is nearly done. Then add the peas, cinnamon, cumin, and almonds.
2. Remove from the heat, and mix in the rice.
3. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/Gas 4/350°F
4. Lightly grease a deep tray or roasting dish. Using half the filo pastry, line the dish by adding one sheet of filo pastry, leaving the excess overhanging. Brush with oil or butter, then add another sheet, overlapping where necessary. Repeat twice more.
5. Pour the lamb and rice pilaf over the pastry, and fold the overhanging pastry back over the filling. Then cover with the remaining sheets of filo pastry. Brush with the beaten egg and bake for 25/30 minutes until golden brown.
6. Serve with a salad of your choice.

Notes:

1. The amount of filo pastry you need depends on the size of the dish. My roasting dish is 11x8x2.5 inches and needed two sheets side by side and overlapped to cover the base, using a total of 12 sheets.
2. I used olive oil to cook the onions and the carrots, and melted butter to brush the pastry.
3. Freezes well.
4. Photo courtesy of Club Noor, http://www.clubnoor.com/en/recipe/lunch/ouzi whose recipe is similar.
 
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