Lamb “Cigars” with Tahini Dipping Sauce
1 pound ground lamb
1 cup grated onion, excess liquid pressed out in a paper towel after grating
1½ tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
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½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground coriander
pinch cayenne
1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste
¼ cup pine nuts
¼ cup raisins, soaked in just enough hot water to cover the raisins
¼ cup Italian parsley, finely chopped
brick pastry dough, for rolling the lamb “cigars”
1 egg whisked well, to seal the “cigars”
2-3 cups grapeseed oil for frying
tahini sauce, for dipping (recipe below)
Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the olive oil and lamb. Cook until the meat is cooked through, separating the meat constantly. Add the onion and until the onion is translucent. Add the spices, season with salt and pepper and cook for 1-2 minutes until the spices are fragrant. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring well, until the tomato paste is dark, about 3-4 minutes. Add the liquid from the raisins and cook until reduced. Add the herbs, pine nuts and raisins. Taste for seasoning. Allow filling to cool before rolling the lamb “cigars”.
To roll:
Prepare a sheet tray with parchment paper and spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Remove the brick dough from the freezer and allow to defrost for about 5 minutes in the package.
On a clean cutting board, place a single layer of brick dough. Place about 1½ heaping tablespoons of filling in a horizontal line on the bottom 1/3 of the brick dough. The filling should stop about 2 inches from the sides of the dough. Brush the edges generously with egg-wash. Begin rolling the “cigars”, tucking the dough under the filling and packing tightly as you roll. Once you reach the middle, tightly fold over both ends and continue rolling. Transfer the “cigars” to the prepared sheet tray and continue rolling until you’ve used all of the filling.
Freeze the “cigars” in a single layer until firm. Once fully frozen, you can pack the “cigars”, gently touching each other in a dish that has been lined with parchment paper. You can stack 2 layers high with parchment in between each layer, for about 1 month.
To fry the “cigars”, heat about an inch of grapeseed oil in a shallow cast iron pan. Allow the “cigars” to sit out of the freezer for 10 minutes before frying. Fry at 350˚F until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels. Serve with tahini dipping sauce.
Tahini Sauce
1 jar tahini
1 cup water
1 garlic clove
1 teaspoon salt
juice of 2 lemons
puree until smooth.