Ingredients

Method

Saute’ the onions in the butter or margarine, with pepper and salt.

Cook on low to medium heat until the onions are light brown.

Set aside.

In a separate bowl, mix the ground meat, pepper and salt, paprika, cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of mixed coriander leaves and parsley.

Add the meat to the onions and fry until the meat is cooked, breaking the meat up with a fork.

Add the rest of the parsley and coriander and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Beat 4 of the eggs.

Stir into the meat and cook for 3 minutes or until the eggs are done.

Beat the remaining egg in a bowl and set aside.

Cut the phyllo dough into 3 inch strips.

Place 1 teaspoon of the meat on the bottom of each strip.

Roll the strips into rolls with the edges tucked in.

Seal the rolls with the beaten egg spread over the edges and ends.

Fry the rolls or bariwats in hot oil until they become golden brown.

*Note: you may also bake the meat rolls in a 350F degree oven until golden for a lower fat, lower calorie version.

The bariwats should be eaten hot.

They should be sprinkled with cinnamon sugar or dipped in cinnamon sugar for a very exquisite North African taste.

BAKLAWA (The "king" of Arab pastries) Greek-style Baklava, which is common in the west, uses honey in the syrup.

More typical Egyptian Baklawa does not.

Recipes for syrup variations are included here.

2 cups walnuts, finely chopped 1 cup almonds, finely chopped (optional – this is found in Greek baklava) 1 cup sugar 2 cups clarified, melted butter 2 Ts.

cinnamon 1 Tb.

Orange blossom water (mazahar) 1 package phyllo dough (1 lb.

Or 454 gms.)

Syrup (see below for variations) Mix the walnuts (and almonds if using), sugar, ¼ cup of the butter, cinnamon and orange blossom water, then set aside.

Butter well a 13 x 9 inch baking pan, then set aside.

Taking one sheet of the phyllo dough and place it in the baking dish, then brush with melted butter.

Repeat this process until ½ of the dough is used.

Then place the walnut mixture of the buttered layers and spread evenly.

Place one layer of dough on the nut layer and brush with melted butter, then continue this until the rest of the dough is used.

Heat the remaining butter, then pour it evenly over the dough.

With a sharp knife, carefully cut the pastry into 2 inch squares or diamond shapes.

Bake in a preheated oven of 400F for five minutes, then lower the heat to 300F and bake for 30-45 minutes or until the sides are a light shade of brown.

While the baklawa is baking, prepare the syrup and set aside.

2 Syrup Variations (choose one for your pastry delight!) Egyptian Sugar Syrup or Sharbat 2 cups sugar 1 cup water 2 tablespoons lemon juice 2 tablespoons orange blossom water (optional) Place the sugar and the water in a pot over a medium heat.

Stir constantly for 10 minutes or until the sugar is thoroughly dissolved.

Remove from the heat, then stir in the lemon juice. Return to the heat and bring it to a boil.

Remove again and stir in the orange blossom water ( if using ), then allow the syrup to cool until the pastry is ready.

Greek-style Sugar Syrup for Baklava 1 ½ cups sugar 1 ½ cups water ¼ cup honey Thinly peeled strip of lemon rind Small piece of cinnamon bark 3 cloves 2 teaspoons of lemon juice

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