Makes 18 to 24 medium-size turnovers
Bisteeya is a traditional Middle Eastern dish made with ground meat and a verdant spice mixture. The sweetness from apples naturally complements these homey spices. You can shape phyllo however you like for this recipe without affecting the flavor in any way. Stuffed triangle pockets are easy and allow for a generous amount of filling, but a rolled cigarette, cutout round, or small bite-sized triangle will work well, also.
SUGGESTED VARIETIES: Cooking apples that break down easily and have a bit of tartness work well here. Try Gravenstein, Jonathan, or Empire.
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
1 large red onion, finely chopped
2 medium apples, cored and cut into medium dice
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon fennel seeds, ground
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
¾ pound ground beef, no more than 85% lean
¼ cup raisins, chopped
½ cup toasted and ground almonds
8 sheets phyllo
¼ cup sesame seeds (optional)
In a large sauté pan, add the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter, and set over medium-high heat. When the butter is melted, add the onion and cook with a pinch of salt until the onion is cooked through and beginning to brown and caramelize. You want a nice golden color, so don’t rush—10 to 12 minutes total. Add the diced apples and all of the spices to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Add the ground beef and cook until it is browned, the apples are soft and cooked through, and the pan is getting dry, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the raisins and almonds. Set aside to cool.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
While the filling is cooling, prepare the phyllo. In a small pan, melt the remaining 6 tablespoons butter over low heat. You do not want to brown the butter at all. Set the phyllo sheets on the counter and cover with a damp cloth. Place 1 sheet at a time on your countertop and use a pastry brush to cover the entire sheet with butter. Place a second sheet of phyllo over the first, and repeat—brushing a thin layer of butter over the entire sheet.
Continue working in this way until you have 4 sheets stacked together. Cut sheet into even squares, about 5 inches long and 4 inches wide. You should have 9 to 12 phyllo squares. Discard any leftover trimmed phyllo. Spoon a generous amount of cooled filling into the center, leaving ½ inch around the edges. Fold the phyllo over, shape it into a triangle, and press the edges together to seal. Move the triangles to a baking sheet and set aside. To form more bisteeya, start again from the beginning, layering phyllo, cutting it down and filling it, until all filling is used.
When the pastries are ready, brush their tops with the last of the melted butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds, if using. Bake in the oven until golden brown and crispy, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.