A yeast dough rolled with minced meat, nuts and a pinch of cinnamon is what we all need for afternoon tea. It takes a little preparation regarding the yeast and waiting for it to rise, but it’s easy and delicious. You should definitely try this!
for the dough
1/2 cup warm water
1 teaspoon of yeast
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2-2 1/2 cups flour (or more)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup oil (olive oil, sunflower, whatever you feel comfortable with)
1 teaspoon of salt
egg yolk (we will use to brush the dough, you can add the egg white to the dough)
black nigella seeds or sesame seeds
the filling
3 tablespoons of oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped, ~1.5 cup
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1/2-1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
-Mix the yeast, sugar and water in a bowl and let them dissolve for 15-20 minutes. The yeast will begin to expand and form bubbles.
-In a pan over medium heat, cook the minced meat, stirring constantly until it absorbs its juice.
-Add 3 tablespoons of oil and the onions to the minced meat and stir until the onion is cooked. Turn off and add walnut, cumin, cinnamon, black pepper.
-Sift the flour into the yeast bowl. Add milk, oil and salt. Add flour as needed to make the dough easy to handle. The dough should not stick to your hands.
-Let the dough rest in the bowl covered with a towel or whatever you use in a warmer place to double its size, depending on the season and the heat of your home, this could take anywhere from 40 minutes to 2 hours.
-After leavening, divide the dough in two.
-With a little oil and with your hands, shape each piece into a 15 x 15 cm circle or a square circle. Don’t worry, it doesn’t need to be a perfect shape.
-Place half the filling on the first circle-shaped dough. Roll out the dough like a cigarette without squeezing it too much. Do the same for the second dough.
-Brush the egg yolk on each roll and sprinkle the black n’gella or sesame seeds or do not sprinkle anything.
-Bake at 375 F in preheated oven for ~25 minutes or until golden brown like a loaf of bread.
-Leave to cool for 10 minutes. Make some tea while you wait and dive in. Enjoy your meal!
