Esh Elbobol (Aswad)

Miniature puff pastry circles topped with finely minced lamb, pine nuts, and tangy pomegranate molasses. These bite-sized Aleppine delights are baked to a perfect balance of sweet, savory, and crispy.

🥄 Ingredients

• Dough Ingredients for Layering:
• 3 cups flour.
• 2 tablespoons room temperature yogurt.
• 1.25 cups warm water, added gradually, as the yogurt will also provide moisture (different types of flour require more water; always add the water gradually to ensure the dough remains soft).
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil.
• 1 teaspoon sugar.
• 0.5 teaspoon salt.
• Ghee (clarified butter) is best for the "bird's nest" pastry, or sheep ghee for brushing and layering.
• Meat Ingredients:
• 1 kg very finely ground lamb, at least 30% fat.
• 2 small onions, very finely chopped (these can be chopped with the meat when butchering; onion is optional and not a staple in Aleppo's popular culture as it imparts a similar flavor to meat pies, but some prefer it).
• 1/2 cup thick, tangy pomegranate molasses.
• 1/2 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon seven-spice mix
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 200 grams toasted pine nuts

👩‍🍳 Instructions

1. Dough Preparation Method: Place the yogurt, water, salt, sugar, and vegetable oil in a plastic bowl. Wearing kitchen gloves, mix well. Add the flour one cup at a time, not all at once, kneading until each cup is fully incorporated. After adding all the flour, if the dough is still thick and stiff, making it difficult to roll out after fermentation, gradually add a quarter cup of water and knead until you obtain a smooth, pliable dough.
2. Leave the dough in a plastic bag, covered with a towel or something to protect it from light, overnight. This will greatly help the dough to rise and become more manageable.
3. Leave the dough in a plastic bag, wrapped with a towel, to protect it from light and allow the yogurt to ferment naturally.
4. To make the layered pastry, cut the dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece out and spread a layer of room-temperature ghee over it. Fold the other side of the dough over the ghee and roll it out with a rolling pin until it's three times its original size. Repeat this process, spreading ghee over the newly rolled-out layer and folding the dough over at least 10 times.
5. Place the piece on a plastic bag and cover it. Repeat this process with the remaining pieces, stacking them on top of each other with plastic wrap between them. Let them rest for 2 1 hours.
6. The next day, melt the ghee in a deep bowl. Cut the dough into small pieces, the size of which should generally not exceed 7 cm, but up to a maximum of 10 cm. Dip the pieces in the melted ghee and arrange them on a tray. Cover the pieces with plastic wrap, then a towel, and let them rest for at least 2 1 hours.
7. Roll out each piece individually and shape it into an even circle. Arrange them in a baking tray. Place two tablespoons of the filling on each circle and spread it slightly with a spoon. Once the tray is full, press down on the circles with another baking tray from above to distribute the meat and ensure it adheres completely to the dough.
8. The oven should be preheated to its highest setting, both top and bottom. Place the tray on the lowest rack and bake for approximately 15 minutes, or until the "bird's nest" pastries are golden brown and crispy.
9. Meat Preparation:
10. Mix all the meat ingredients in a bowl and knead well to distribute the spices, pomegranate molasses, and onion until the mixture is cohesive. Place a ping-pong ball-sized amount of the filling on each pastry circle and spread it to cover the surface of the prepared dough circle.

🌹 Decoration

Line a serving dish with lettuce, cucumber, and tomato, then arrange the bird's nest in the center. You can also prepare a cucumber and yogurt side dish or ayran (a yogurt drink). Bird's nest generally pairs well with vegetables such as watercress, green onions, and hot green peppers.