Layered Chopped Meat and Pine Nut Pie in Filo Dough (recipe, meat)

Unbaked Borek

Baked Borek

Borek after dinner :)

 Layered Chopped Meat and Pine Nut Pie in Filo Dough M Serves: 8

Called “borek” in Turkey, the aroma and taste of the cinnamon and oregano flavoring the chopped meat more than compensates for the time it takes to wrap it in filo dough.
Prep time: 60 min.  Baking time: 40-45 min.
Ingredients
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 large Spanish onion (about 16 oz.)
5 garlic cloves
2/3 cup pine nuts-toasted
1 pound chopped steak
1 heaping tablespoon cinnamon
1 heaping tablespoon oregano
1 small bunch fresh flat leaf parsley
2 eggs
1 ¼ cups pareve soy milk
2/3 cup olive oil
1 box filo dough-thawed (The Kontos brand #4 sheets are easy to handle for this pie)
Equipment
Electric food processor
Large skillet
Large pastry brush
10 inch springform baking pan-3 inches high*
*I used a springform pan so I could unmold this pie intact and present it whole. You can use any shape pan you want if you choose to cut the pie in pieces before you serve it. It’s a little less dramatic but still delicious.
Directions

1. Peel onion and garlic and place in food processor into which steel knife has been inserted. Process until  vegetables have been finely minced.
2. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium high flame. Add onion and garlic and sauté until soft. Break up the chopped meat and stir it into the onions and garlic until there is no redness anywhere. Stir in  1/3 cup (4 tablespoons) toasted pine nuts, cinnamon, oregano and parsley. Season with freshly ground black pepper. Allow to cool.
3. Beat eggs together with soymilk and oil. Set aside.
4. Preheat oven to: 400 F.
5. Dampen a dish towel. Place springform pan on table. Unwrap  filo dough carefully. Take 2-3 sheets and fit them into pan so that several inches hang over one side. After removing first sheets of filo dough, cover the remaining dough with damp towel to keep it from drying out. Brush top of fllo with egg mixture. Take another 2-3 sheets of filo and starting in middle of pan, arrange dough so that it overlaps the other sheets and hangs over the other side of pan. Brush more egg mixture on top piece. Take another 2 pieces and arrange the other way across the middle. Brush with egg mixture. Now, Take one piece at a time and arrange in pan. Pour some egg mixture over it. Do this 3 times-each time pouring some egg mixture between filo sheets.  Spread one last sheet on top of egg and leave dry.
6. Spoon meat mixture into pan and pat down gently.
7. Fold in the shorter end of filo dough and stick together with egg mixture. Fold over the longer ends of dough and paste down with more egg mixture. You can use a brush but it’s easier to do with your hands.
8. Place pie in oven and bake 40-45 minutes or until pie has puffed and is golden brown. Sprinkle the top of pie with remaining toasted pine nuts and serve hot or at room temperature. This is a beautiful presentation piece even after the pastry falls.