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Gollash meat pie (filo and spiced beef)
Gollash bel lahma: crisp layers of buttered filo around spiced minced beef and onion, baked golden
EgyptianEgyptian bakeries sell sweet and savoury gollash, but the minced-beef version is the one home cooks make for Ramadan iftar, Eid visits and big family lunches, cut into neat diamonds on a large round tray. Thin sheets of filo are brushed with melted butter and stacked around a filling of beef cooked dry with onion, pepper and a little allspice, then soaked with a splash of milk and egg so the top layers bake puffed and shatteringly crisp while the middle stays tender. Serve warm with a salad and yoghurt or as part of a spread of mezze. Avoid skimping on butter between the sheets; unbuttered layers bake dry and papery instead of crisp and golden. Chef's tip: let the cooked filling cool completely before layering; hot, steamy mince turns the bottom sheets soggy, which is the most common gollash disappointment.
- Total time
- 80 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For the filling
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 onionsfinely chopped
- 1 ⅛ lb beef mince
- 1 green pepper (optional)finely diced
- ½ tsp ground allspice
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley (optional)chopped
For the pastry
- 1 ⅛ lb filo pastrythawed if frozen
- 4 oz buttermelted, or ghee
- ¾ cup milk
- 1 egg
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Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and cook 2 onions for 6 minutes until soft.
6 minStep 2: Add 1 ⅛ lb beef mince and 1 green pepper, breaking the meat up well, and cook over a high heat until no pink remains, the meat reaches 160°F and the pan is dry and the meat starts to brown.
10 minStep 3: Season with ½ tsp ground allspice, 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp ground black pepper, stir in 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley and spread on a plate to cool completely.
20 minStep 4: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan) and brush a 30 cm round or 25 × 35 cm tin with some of 4 oz butter. Keep the filo under a damp tea towel as you work so it does not dry out and crack.
Step 5: Lay in half of 9 oz filo pastry, one sheet at a time, brushing each with butter and letting the ends overhang. Spread the cold filling evenly over them.
Step 6: Cover with the rest of 9 oz filo pastry, brushing each with butter, then tuck the overhanging edges in. Brush the top generously with the rest of the butter.
Step 8: Bake for 40–45 minutes until puffed, deep golden and crisp, and the base sounds hollow when you lift a corner with a knife.
42 minStep 9: Rest for 10 minutes, then cut through again along the lines and serve warm. Leftovers reheat well in the oven at 350°F for 10 minutes.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Protein
- 18 g
- Carbs
- 33 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does gollash meat pie (filo and spiced beef) take?
- About 80 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of ground black pepper?
- Black peppercorns, freshly ground, same amount.
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