This is elegant and tasty party fare. The pastries are called briouats in Morocco, where they are made with the paper-thin pancakes called ouarka. Fillo makes an easy and perfect substitute. You can keep the prepared rolls uncooked in the freezer. In Morocco they are fried, but it is much easier to bake them, and the results are very good.
Recipe information
Yield
makes about 60
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Prepare the filling. In a large skillet, sauté the onion in the 4 tablespoons oil until softened. Add the meat, spices, salt, and pepper or ground chili pepper, and cook, crushing the meat with a fork and turning it over, for about 10 minutes, until it changes color. Stir in the parsley and cilantro.
Step 2
Lightly beat the eggs in a bowl and pour over the meat. Cook gently, stirring, for a moment or two only, until the eggs set to a creamy consistency. Let the filling cool. Taste and add more spices and pepper if you like.
Step 3
To fill and roll the cigars: cut each sheet of fillo into three rectangles and put them together in a pile so that they do not dry out.
Step 4
Brush the top one very lightly with melted butter or oil.
Step 5
See drawings on page 117. Put a tablespoon of filling along one of the short edges. Roll the fillo over it. Roll up like a cigar, tucking the ends in when you’ve rolled it halfway so that the filling does not fall out, then continue to roll, letting the ends unfold so that they appear open. Place the rolls side by side on a greased baking sheet, brush with melted butter, and bake in a preheated 300°F oven for 35 minutes, or until golden. Serve very hot.
Variations
Step 6
You may dust the cigars with confectioners’ sugar or cinnamon or with both.
Step 7
If you want to fry a few for an instant snack (they are nice fried), do so in about 1/2 inch not-too-hot vegetable oil, turning over once, until browned. Drain on paper towels.
