Saudi Meat Pies

Aish bil­Lahm (Saudi Arabia) 

Very simple to make and totally delectable, these meat pies from Saudi Arabia are eaten as

a snack or can form part of a meal spread. I make the pies in individual portions but you can also bake one large pie. The crumbly, flaky pastry makes for a nice crisp casing for the meat filling. It is also flavoured with an intriguing Arabian spice mixture called b’zar. Serve with duggus or with a rocket and tomato salad. 

Makes 8 individual pies

Ingredients

For the dough

160g plain (white) flour

150g wholemeal flour

30g whole milk powder

1 teaspoon b’zar (Arabian Spice Mixture, below)

1 × 7g sachet fast-­action dried yeast

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons fine

sea salt

1 teaspoon golden caster sugar

50g ghee or unsalted butter

2 tablespoons sunflower oil

1 organic egg

For the filling

3 tablespoons sunflower oil

2 medium onions (about 300g in total), finely chopped

400g minced lamb or beef

1 1/4 teaspoons finely ground black pepper

Fine sea salt

1 medium leek, very thinly sliced

3 tablespoons tahini

1 tablespoon black vinegar

A few sprigs fresh coriander, bottom of stems discarded, then finely chopped

To finish

Egg wash: 1 organic egg whisked with 1 teaspoon water

Toasted sesame seeds, to garnish

Method

1.         To make the dough, mix together the plain and wholemeal flours, the milk powder, b’zar, yeast, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre. Put the ghee and oil into the well and, with the tips of your fingers, rub into the flour. Add the egg, then gradually add 100ml water. Mix until you have a rough dough.

2.         Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Knead for 3 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball, invert the bowl over the dough and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Knead for 3 more minutes, then roll into a ball. Place in a lightly floured bowl. Cover with clingfilm and leave to rest for 1 1/2 hours.

3.         To make the filling, heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring regularly, for about 10 minutes, or until they are caramelised and golden brown. Add the minced meat and cook, stirring, until it is no longer pink and all excess liquid has evaporated. Season with the pepper and salt to taste.

4.         Remove from the heat and cool, then transfer the meat to a bowl. Add the leek and mix well. In another bowl, mix together the tahini, vinegar and 1 tablespoon water. Mix in the coriander. Add the tahini mixture to the meat and leek and mix well. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.

5.         Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan. Grease eight shallow pie dishes measuring 12.5cm in diameter and 2.5cm deep with a little oil (or use non-stick dishes).

6.         Divide the dough into eight equal portions. Shape each into a ball, then cover with

a damp kitchen towel and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Roll out one ball of dough on your work surface into a round large enough to line the bottom and sides of an oiled pie dish. Lift the dough into a dish and tuck the corners in, making sure it is equally high all around the sides.

7.         Divide the filling equally among the pie cases.­­ Brush the high edges of the dough

and the filling with the egg wash. Sprinkle lightly with sesame seeds.

8.         Bake for 20 to 30 minutes. The pastry should be golden brown and the top of the meat filling golden.

 

Arabian Spice Mixture (B’zar) 

B’zar is an indispensable spice mixture in the Arabian Gulf, and shortly before Ramadan most households will get busy preparing their b’zar to last them not only the month of Ramadan but also the whole year. This recipe comes from my delightful friend, Maryam Abdallah, who was the first celebrity Qatari TV chef. I often eat at her home when I am in Doha and both she and her sister Aisha al-­Tamimi, Qatar’s foremost celebrity chef, have taught me to make many Qatari dishes. The following recipe was handed down by their mother. Maryam buys her spices whole in the souk. She washes them at home and puts them out to dry in the sun before grinding them. She then portions them in bags, which she keeps in the freezer to take out when she needs to.

Ingredients

(Makes about 200g)

75g black peppercorns

50g cumin seeds

25g coriander seeds

2 tablespoons whole cloves

2 tablespoons broken Ceylon cinnamon sticks

2 tablespoons green cardamom pods

2 tablespoons small dried red chillies

2 whole nutmegs

2 heaped tablespoons ground ginger

2 tablespoons ground turmeric

Put the whole spices into a food processor or spice grinder and blitz until finely ground. Transfer to a large bowl and add the ground ginger and turmeric. Mix well. Store in an airtight glass jar in a cool, dark place for up to a year, possibly longer.