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

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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.

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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.

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3. Cool the filling

Let the meat cool for 10–15 minutes.

Important:
Hot filling melts the pastry butter and makes the pastry soggy.

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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

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5. Fill the pastries

Place a spoonful of meat filling in the center of each piece.

Top with shredded cheese.

Do not overfill.

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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.

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7. Egg wash

Brush tops with beaten egg.

Sprinkle sesame or nigella seeds if desired.

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8. Bake

Bake for:

• 18–25 minutes

Until:

• puffed
• deep golden brown
• crisp

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Serving Suggestions

Serve hot with:

• ketchup
• garlic yogurt sauce
• mint chutney
• spicy mayo

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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

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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.

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Variations

Pizza Style

Add:

• olives
• capsicum
• pizza seasoning

Spicy Version

Add:

• jalapeños
• extra chili
• pepper jack cheese

Turkish-Inspired

Use:

• feta cheese
• parsley
• cumin