Sambousek (Lebanese Meat Pastries) - a Lebanese recipe
These Lebanese appetizers remind me of Bierocks or Pierogis.
You can substitute lamb for the beef. If you do, try adding a
bit of mint.
Some people like to seal a little cheese with the meat in the
sambousek. You can even make these with just cheese, much like a
pierogi.
These are best when fresh from the pan. The wife likes these
with jajeek (similar to Tzatziki).
Serves 8.

3 cups flour
1 cup warm water
1 tsp yeast
pinch salt
1 tsp oil
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 onions
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp pepper
Pinch fennel
3/4 tsp cumin
1 Tbsp chopped parsley
1 lb ground beef

Put the flour in a mixing bowl.
Dissolve the yeast in the cup of warm water.
Add the yeast and a pinch of salt to the flour.
Mix the dough with a wooden spoon or your hands.
Add the oil and knead until the dough is elastic.
Divide the dough into about a dozen pieces and set aside.
Allow the dough to rise for an hour.
Finely dice or grate the onion.
Cook the onion with the rest of the ingredients over low heat in
the olive oil, stirring well to thoroughly mix the beef with the
onions and spices.
When the meat is browned, remove from heat and cool.
Roll the pieces of dough out to 1/16 inch thick circles.
Place a spoonful of meat in the center of each piece.
Fold the dough over the meat to form half circles.
Seal the edges together.
Heat enough oil in a frying pan to cover the Sambousek while
cooking.
Deep fry on both sides.
Drain and serve while still hot.

--
Mike

On Feb 15, 12:03*pm, "Mike Muth" > wrote:
> Sambousek (Lebanese Meat Pastries) - a Lebanese recipe
> These Lebanese appetizers remind me of Bierocks or Pierogis.
> You can substitute lamb for the beef. *If you do, try adding a
> bit of mint.
> Some people like to seal a little cheese with the meat in the
> sambousek. *You can even make these with just cheese, much like a
> pierogi.
> These are best when fresh from the pan. *The wife likes these
> with jajeek (similar to Tzatziki).
> Serves 8.
>
> 3 cups flour
> 1 cup warm water
> 1 tsp yeast
> pinch salt
> 1 tsp oil
> 1 Tbsp olive oil
> 2 onions
> 1 tsp minced garlic
> 1 tsp pepper
> Pinch fennel
> 3/4 tsp cumin
> 1 Tbsp chopped parsley
> 1 lb ground beef
>
> Put the flour in a mixing bowl.
> Dissolve the yeast in the cup of warm water.
> Add the yeast and a pinch of salt to the flour.
> Mix the dough with a wooden spoon or your hands.
> Add the oil and knead until the dough is elastic.
> Divide the dough into about a dozen pieces and set aside.
> Allow the dough to rise for an hour.
> Finely dice or grate the onion.
> Cook the onion with the rest of the ingredients over low heat in
> the olive oil, stirring well to thoroughly mix the beef with the
> onions and spices.
> When the meat is browned, remove from heat and cool.
> Roll the pieces of dough out to 1/16 inch thick circles.
> Place a spoonful of meat in the center of each piece.
> Fold the dough over the meat to form half circles.
> Seal the edges together.
> Heat enough oil in a frying pan to cover the Sambousek while
> cooking.
> Deep fry on both sides.
> Drain and serve while still hot.
>
> --
> Mike

Funny how so many "ethnic" recipes are related- pasties, calzones,
etc...

On 15-Feb-2012, merryb > wrote:

> Funny how so many "ethnic" recipes are related- pasties,
> calzones, etc...

German Maultaschen are similar (but usually cooked in broth).

Sometimes, it seems that rapping dough around meat or cheese and
cooking the result in fat must be ingrained in human nature.

When I was but a lad, my grandmother used to make Bierocks from
time to time. I'd make them every few weeks, but that bread
dough is a killer for my diet. My Mennonite friends here all
seem to have eaten pierogis when they were young. I hadn't had
one until I had dinner with a minister's son and he and his wife
served them.

I'm thinking that chili wrapped in bread dough and baked in the
oven would be pretty good.

--
Mike

On Feb 15, 12:18*pm, merryb > wrote:
> On Feb 15, 12:03*pm, "Mike Muth" > wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > Sambousek (Lebanese Meat Pastries) - a Lebanese recipe
> > These Lebanese appetizers remind me of Bierocks or Pierogis.
> > You can substitute lamb for the beef. *If you do, try adding a
> > bit of mint.
> > Some people like to seal a little cheese with the meat in the
> > sambousek. *You can even make these with just cheese, much like a
> > pierogi.
> > These are best when fresh from the pan. *The wife likes these
> > with jajeek (similar to Tzatziki).
> > Serves 8.
>
> > 3 cups flour
> > 1 cup warm water
> > 1 tsp yeast
> > pinch salt
> > 1 tsp oil
> > 1 Tbsp olive oil
> > 2 onions
> > 1 tsp minced garlic
> > 1 tsp pepper
> > Pinch fennel
> > 3/4 tsp cumin
> > 1 Tbsp chopped parsley
> > 1 lb ground beef
>
> > Put the flour in a mixing bowl.
> > Dissolve the yeast in the cup of warm water.
> > Add the yeast and a pinch of salt to the flour.
> > Mix the dough with a wooden spoon or your hands.
> > Add the oil and knead until the dough is elastic.
> > Divide the dough into about a dozen pieces and set aside.
> > Allow the dough to rise for an hour.
> > Finely dice or grate the onion.
> > Cook the onion with the rest of the ingredients over low heat in
> > the olive oil, stirring well to thoroughly mix the beef with the
> > onions and spices.
> > When the meat is browned, remove from heat and cool.
> > Roll the pieces of dough out to 1/16 inch thick circles.
> > Place a spoonful of meat in the center of each piece.
> > Fold the dough over the meat to form half circles.
> > Seal the edges together.
> > Heat enough oil in a frying pan to cover the Sambousek while
> > cooking.
> > Deep fry on both sides.
> > Drain and serve while still hot.
>
> > --
> > Mike
>
> Funny how so many "ethnic" recipes are related- pasties, calzones,
> etc...

WTF happened here? I didn't start it!!

On Wed, 15 Feb 2012 20:03:11 GMT, "Mike Muth"
> wrote:

> The wife likes these with jajeek (similar to Tzatziki).

This is a good time to ask: What is the difference between Greek and
Balkan yogurt?

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

You're posting from Google. My posts are disappearing from the
Google archive.

--
Mike

On 15-Feb-2012, sf > wrote:

> This is a good time to ask: What is the difference between
> Greek and Balkan yogurt?

Balkan yogurt is similar to Swiss-style yogurt (the kind you
usually see in the stores). However, where Swiss yogurt is
stirred after being poured into the vats and cooled, Balkan
yogurt is not stirred. Balkan is thicker than Swiss Yogurt.

Greek yogurt is made from milk which has had some of the whey or
water removed. It is thicker and creamier than Balkan or Swiss
yogurt. It also holds up better when being cooked. Greek yogurt
has a higher fat content and a lower carb content than the other
two.

--
Mike

On 15/02/2012 6:21 PM, sf wrote:
> On Wed, 15 Feb 2012 20:03:11 GMT, "Mike Muth"
> > wrote:
>
>> The wife likes these with jajeek (similar to Tzatziki).
>
> This is a good time to ask: What is the difference between Greek and
> Balkan yogurt?
>


The spelling?

As far as I can figure, Balkan style is pretty much the same as regular
yogurt but used a set style, fermented in small containers rather than
stirred in big vats. Greek style has a lot lot of the water or whey
strained out of it so that is contains about 50% more protein than
regular or Balkan style.

Empanadas...I hear ya. All good. But, I wonder if these might not actually be improved by baking. I know, the extra fat of the deep fryer can be yummy. Can also be too heavy. next time i make a doughey turnover like this, I wonder if I could quick boil it (like a pretzel) then bake it with nice results.

Anyone ever try to pretzelize/bagelize a turnover before?

On Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:37:54 -0500, Dave Smith
> wrote:

> On 15/02/2012 6:21 PM, sf wrote:
> > On Wed, 15 Feb 2012 20:03:11 GMT, "Mike Muth"
> > > wrote:
> >
> >> The wife likes these with jajeek (similar to Tzatziki).
> >
> > This is a good time to ask: What is the difference between Greek and
> > Balkan yogurt?
> >
>
>
> The spelling?
>
> As far as I can figure, Balkan style is pretty much the same as regular
> yogurt but used a set style, fermented in small containers rather than
> stirred in big vats. Greek style has a lot lot of the water or whey
> strained out of it so that is contains about 50% more protein than
> regular or Balkan style.

If it's similar to/the same as regular yogurt... then why specify it?

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On Thu, 16 Feb 2012 00:28:07 GMT, "Mike Muth"
> wrote:

>
> On 15-Feb-2012, sf > wrote:
>
> > This is a good time to ask: What is the difference between
> > Greek and Balkan yogurt?
>
> Balkan yogurt is similar to Swiss-style yogurt (the kind you
> usually see in the stores). However, where Swiss yogurt is
> stirred after being poured into the vats and cooled, Balkan
> yogurt is not stirred. Balkan is thicker than Swiss Yogurt.
>
> Greek yogurt is made from milk which has had some of the whey or
> water removed. It is thicker and creamier than Balkan or Swiss
> yogurt. It also holds up better when being cooked. Greek yogurt
> has a higher fat content and a lower carb content than the other
> two.

Thanks for the explanation.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.