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