Ingredients

Filling

  • 11/3 Cups ground lamb
  • 3 Tablespoons clarified butter (ghee)
  • 1 small onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 1 cup)
  • 11/2 Teaspoons minced garlic (about 1 medium clove)
  • 21/2 Cups canned, diced and peeled tomatoes (28-ounce can), drained
  • 12 Pieces of oil-packed, sun-dried tomatoes
  • 1/2 Teaspoon allspice powder
  • 11/2 Cups California golden raisins
  • 1/4 Cup toasted pine nuts
  • 11/2 Tablespoons chopped fresh mint
  • 1 Teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 Teaspoon finely ground white pepper

Procedure

Filling

Heat large nonstick pan over medium-high heat; add ghee and ground lamb; sauté for 7 minutes, or until lamb is cooked. Remove meat to a plate and discard all but 1 tablespoon drippings. Add onion and garlic; sauté for 5 minutes until soft and golden. Add back cooked lamb, along with diced tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, allspice and raisins; simmer for 5 minutes until juices evaporate. Stir in pine nuts, mint, salt and white pepper; mix well. Cool.

Sauce

In small saucepan, heat and reduce wine by half over low heat. Remove from heat and whisk in ghee and 1/4 cup raisins. Keep warm.

To Assemble

Preheat oven to 400°F. Keeping remaining sheets covered with damp towel and plastic, arrange 1 sheet phyllo dough flat on work surface. Brush with ghee and spoon 1/16 filling in center; brush phyllo around filling and edges with beaten egg. Gather all corners towards center and squeeze together and seal like a moneybag. Repeat to make 15 more pastillas. Arrange pastillas on greased baking sheet and brush outsides with more ghee. Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes or until golden.

Serve pastillas while warm with Port Wine Sauce and garnish with golden raisins.

Port Wine Sauce

  • 1/3 Cup port wine (for non-alcoholic sauce, substitute 1/3 cup cranberry juice plus 1 tablespoon sugar)
  • 1 Tablespoon clarified butter (ghee)
  • 8 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed according to package directions
  • 1/4 Cup (1/2 stick) melted butter
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 1/4 Cup California golden raisins

Nutrition Facts Per Serving

Calories 730 (Calories from Fat 54%); Total Fat 44 ( Saturated Fat 20; Trans Fat 0; ); Cholesterol 140; Sodium 790; Potassium 880; Total Carbohydrate 55; Dietary Fiber 4; Sugars 30; Protein 26; Calcium 77; Iron 5;

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5. A ¼ cup serving of raisins provides 6% of the daily value for potassium.