Table of Contents
- Baharat-Spiced Beef Filling
- Addictive Tahini Yoghurt Dipping Sauce
- What is Baharat?
- How to roll the beef cigars
- Recipe: Beef Cigars with Tahini Yoghurt
Baharat-Spiced Beef Filling
The beef filling is seasoned with baharat, a warm, aromatic Middle Eastern spice blend that gives the dish its distinctive flavour. The spiced beef is wrapped in a delicate filo pastry, which adds a wonderful crunch to every bite. Luxuriously dipped in a tahini yoghurt and topped with a homemade chilli sauce. It’s addictive with every bite.
Addictive Tahini Yoghurt Dipping Sauce
The dipping sauce is a combination of creamy yoghurt and nutty tahini, finished with a drizzle of homemade chilli sauce for a spicy kick. This is perfect party food or served on a table with other plates for sharing with friends and family. This dish could also be served as a romantic dinner for two with a crisp cold beer or a bottle of wine.
What is Baharat?
Baharat is a Middle Eastern spice blend containing black pepper, cardamom, cloves, cumin, nutmeg, coriander and paprika and adds a deliciously fragrant flavour to beef. You can buy the spice blend or make it yourself at home with this recipe here.
How to roll the beef cigars
A very easy technique. Simply flatten out your filo pastry, and cover with a tea towel to prevent it from drying out. Now removing one sheet at a time, fold it in half vertically and brush with oil. At the bottom of the pastry, layer some beef mince into a line as per the shape of a cigar. Leave 1.5cm of space on each side.
Now roll it up like a cigar, folding the sides in halfway through to prevent the filling from falling out and to seal the ends. Brush the end with a little extra oil if they need sealing and place onto a roasting tray ready for the oven.
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Recipe: Beef Cigars with Tahini Yoghurt
Beef Cigars with Tahini Yoghurt
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion peeled and finely diced
- 2 cloves of garlic chopped
- 300g minced beef
- 2 tsp baharat spice mix recipe here
- 2 tbsp chopped mint
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- 2 tsp date molasses or maple syrup
- 1 packet filo pastry
- olive oil
- Sesame seeds
- 20g pistachios finely chopped
Yoghurt Tahini Dressing
- 250ml Greek yoghurt
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
- Pinch of sea salt
Chilli Sauce
- 1 large ripe tomato grated
- 1 tablespoon dried chilli flakes
- 60ml vegetable oil
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 large garlic cloves thinly sliced (approx. 2 tablespoons)
Instructions
- Mix the ingredients for the yoghurt tahini dressing until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Chilli sauce: Fry the garlic slices in oil over a medium heat until lightly browned (take care not to burn). Then add the chilli flakes, smoked paprika and grated tomatoes. Cook for about 5 minutes until the liquid thickens and turns dark red. Remove from the heat and season to taste with salt.
- Beef Cigars: Fry the onion until soft, add garlic and baharat and cook for another minute.
- Add minced beef and fry until nicely browned.
- Add the tomato paste and beef stock to the pan, bring to the boil and simmer until the liquid has reduced and the mince has a thick, sauce-like consistency (no excess liquid).
- Place one sheet of puff pastry on a work surface and cover the remaining sheets with a tea towel to prevent them drying out. Brush the sheet lightly with oil and fold it in half widthways.
- On the edge closest to you, place 2 tablespoons of the beef mixture on the filo, leaving a 1.5cm space on each side. Roll up like a cigar, folding the sides in half to prevent the filling from falling out and to seal the ends.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake in the oven at 200 degrees for 20 minutes until browned and crispy.
- To serve: Spoon the yoghurt-tahini sauce into a dipping bowl. Top with the chilli sauce and garnish with pistachios. Serve the cigars on a plate next to the dip.
