Holiday Briouats Assortment (Fried Filo Parcels with Lamb and Almond Honey)

Lamb filling

• 1 medium Yellow onion
• 30 ml Sunflower oil
• 3 cloves Garlic
• 450 g Minced lamb
• 2 tsp Ground cumin
• 2 tsp Ground coriander
• ½ tsp Ground cinnamon
• 1 ½ tsp Fine sea salt
• ½ tsp Black pepper

Almond filling and honey glaze

• 250 g Blanched almonds
• 220 g Honey
• 2 tsp Orange Blossom Water
• 1 tsp Ground cinnamon
• 1 pinch Fine sea salt

To assemble and fry

• 500 g Phyllo dough
• 750 ml Sunflower oil
• 60 ml Water

1. Make the lamb filling: finely chop the onion and crush the garlic. Heat the sunflower oil in a large frying pan over medium heat, then cook the onion with a pinch of the salt for 8 to 10 minutes until soft and lightly golden. Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant.
2. Add the minced lamb and cook over medium-high heat for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it up, until no longer pink and any liquid has evaporated. Stir in the cumin, coriander, cinnamon, remaining salt and black pepper, then cook for 1 minute. Tip onto a plate and cool completely so it does not soften the pastry.
3. Make the almond filling: pulse the blanched almonds in a food processor until finely ground, stopping before it turns into a paste. Mix the almonds with 120 g of the honey, the orange blossom water, the cinnamon and a pinch of salt until it holds together when pressed. Cover and set aside at room temperature.
4. Prepare for shaping: pour the water into a small bowl for sealing the pastry. Unroll the phyllo dough and keep it covered with a barely damp tea towel while you work so it does not dry out. If the sheets are very large, cut them into long strips about 7 to 8 cm wide.
5. Shape the lamb briouats: lay a strip of phyllo on the worktop and fold it in half lengthways to make a double layer. Place a small spoonful of lamb filling near one end, then fold into triangles, continuing to flip the triangle along the strip until you reach the end. Dab the final flap with water to seal, then repeat to use up the lamb filling.
6. Shape the almond briouats the same way, using a small spoonful of almond filling for each parcel. Keep the finished briouats on a tray as you work, with a tea towel over the top to prevent drying. Aim for similar sizes so they fry evenly.
7. Fry the briouats: pour the sunflower oil into a deep frying pan or wide saucepan and heat to 170°C (340°F). Fry in batches for 2 to 3 minutes, turning, until deep golden and crisp; keep the lamb and almond batches separate. Lift out with tongs and drain on a rack or a tray lined with kitchen paper.
8. Glaze the sweet briouats: warm the remaining 100 g honey in a small saucepan over low heat just until fluid, not boiling. Dip or brush the warm honey over the almond briouats while they are still warm, then let them set for 10 minutes. Serve the lamb briouats plain and the almond briouats glossy with honey.

Made this recipe? Rate it — a comment is optional.