Saudi Samboosak

3 cups flour

2 grated onions

1 1/2 cups oil

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon bread spices(yeast, fennel, poppy seed)

1 teaspoon cumin

oil for frying

water

1 lb. ground beef or lamb

Put the flour in a deep bowl, add the bread spices and salt. Add the oil and rub with fingertips. Add water and a pinch of salt a little at a time, mixing thoroughly until dough is binding. Divide into small pieces, place on a tray and put in a warm place for one hour. Put ground meat, onion, salt, pepper and cumin in a frying pan and cook over low heat. Cool. Roll each piece of dough into a round, about 1/16 inch thick. Place a tablespoon of meat in the center of each round and seal then twist the edges. Heat the oil and deep fry the samboosak on both sides. Serve hot. Serves 8-10 persons

Saudi Samboosak

3 cups flour

2 grated onions

1 1/2 cups oil

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon bread spices(yeast, fennel, poppy seed)

1 teaspoon cumin

oil for frying

water

1 lb. ground beef or lamb

Put the flour in a deep bowl, add the bread spices and salt. Add the oil and rub with fingertips. Add water and a pinch of salt a little at a time, mixing thoroughly until dough is binding. Divide into small pieces, place on a tray and put in a warm place for one hour. Put ground meat, onion, salt, pepper and cumin in a frying pan and cook over low heat. Cool. Roll each piece of dough into a round, about 1/16 inch thick. Place a tablespoon of meat in the center of each round and seal then twist the edges. Heat the oil and deep fry the samboosak on both sides. Serve hot. Serves 8-10 persons.

Stuffed Pastry Squares (Al-Motubug)middle eastern recipes6 cups flour 2 eggs beaten with 1/2 cup corn oil 2 bundles leeks (medium sized) 1 teaspoon

6 cups flour

2 eggs beaten with 1/2 cup corn oil

2 bundles leeks (medium sized)

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 1/2 lbs ground beef

water

3 eggs (beaten)

salt

3 onions (finely chopped)

Sift flour, add the water and salt a little at a time, mixing dough until it becomes soft but pliable. Divide the dough into ten pieces, knead each piece well. Place on a tray sprinkled with a little water and let rise for at least one hour. Put ground beef in a saucepan with chopped onion, black pepper and salt. Stir over medium heat until cooked. Set aside until cool. Chop leeks and wash several times through a strainer; drain and put on a paper towel until excess water is absorbed. Add to ground beef.Take a piece of dough and cover in flour, roll out, place over back of hands and stretch until dough becomes quite thin. Place dough on worktop and trim uneven edges. Brush two tablespoons of egg and oil mixture over dough surface. Fold to form smaller squares. Place in frying pan or griddle over medium heat with one tablespoon of oil. Place pastry squares in pan and fry on both sides until golden brown. Repeat above method using five of the remaining pieces. With piece number six repeat as above to the folding stage. Place one fried pastry square in the center of the unfolded piece, cover generously with ground beef and three tablespoons of beaten egg. Fold into a square. Remember to sprinkle oil and egg mixture between layers. Fry in 3 tablespoons of oil over medium heat until both sides are golden brown. Repeat using remaining four pieces of dough. Serve hot. Serves 10-12.

Salatat Bathinjan (Eggplant Appetizer)middle eastern recipes

Eggplant, often called "the poor man's meat" or "the poor man's caviar," is one of the staple foods of the Middle East, valued for it's great versatility.

1 large eggplant, peeled and thickly sliced

salt

8 tablespoons olive oil

4 cloves garlic

1 medium hot pepper, finely chopped

3 tablespoons lemon juice

Sprinkle the eggplant slices with salt. Place in a strainer or colander, top with a weight, and allow to drain for 45 minutes.

Heat the oil in a frying pan, then add the eggplant slices and fry on both sides until they are golden brown. Remove the eggplant slices, dice them, then set aside in a bowl.

Mash the garlic cloves with salt. Add to the diced eggplant along with the hot pepper and lemon juice. Chill slightly and serve.