A crispy, golden puff pastry filled with flavorful minced meat and melted cheese. Great for snacks, lunch, Ramadan appetizers, or party food.
Makes
8 pastries
Ingredients
For the Filling
- 300 g minced meat
(beef, chicken, turkey, or lamb) - 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 small green chili, finely chopped (optional)
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp chili flakes (optional)
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley or coriander
- 1 tsp oil
Cheese
- 120–150 g shredded cheese
(mozzarella, cheddar, or mixed cheese)
Pastry
- 1 sheet puff pastry (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
Optional Toppings
- Sesame seeds
- Nigella seeds
- Chili flakes
Instructions
1. Cook the filling
Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan over medium heat.
Add:
- onion
- garlic
- chili
Cook for 2–3 minutes until softened.
Add minced meat and cook until browned, breaking it apart with a spoon.
2. Season
Stir in:
- tomato paste
- salt
- pepper
- paprika
- cumin
- chili flakes
Cook another 3–4 minutes until the mixture is fairly dry.
Remove from heat.
Mix in parsley or coriander.
3. Cool the filling
Let the meat cool for 10–15 minutes.
Important:
Hot filling melts the pastry butter and makes the pastry soggy.
4. Prepare the pastry
Preheat oven to:
- 200°C (390°F)
Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Lightly flour the counter.
Roll out puff pastry slightly.
Cut into:
- 8 squares or rectangles
5. Fill the pastries
Place a spoonful of meat filling in the center of each piece.
Top with shredded cheese.
Do not overfill.
6. Shape
You can make:
Triangles
Fold corner to corner and seal edges with a fork.
Rectangles
Fold over and crimp edges.
Pinwheels
Slice corners and twist inward.
7. Egg wash
Brush tops with beaten egg.
Sprinkle sesame or nigella seeds if desired.
8. Bake
Bake for:
- 18–25 minutes
Until:
- puffed
- deep golden brown
- crisp
Serving Suggestions
Serve hot with:
- ketchup
- garlic yogurt sauce
- mint chutney
- spicy mayo
Storage
Fridge
Store up to:
- 3 days
Reheat in oven or air fryer for crispiness.
Freezer
Freeze unbaked pastries for:
- up to 2 months
Bake directly from frozen:
- add 5–7 extra minutes
Tips for Best Puff Pastry
- Keep pastry cold while working.
- Don’t overload the filling.
- Cool filling completely before assembling.
- Bake in a fully preheated oven.
- Use parchment paper to avoid sticking.
Variations
Pizza Style
Add:
- olives
- capsicum
- pizza seasoning
Spicy Version
Add:
- jalapeños
- extra chili
- pepper jack cheese
Turkish-Inspired
Use:
- feta cheese
- parsley
- cumin
