Shish Barak

Step 1

First, prepare the dough by combining all the ingredients together with a kitchenaid with the paddle attachment or by hand. Initially pour the cup of water a little at a time. Cover and let it rest for 30 min as you prepare the filling.

Step 2

In a food processor, add the onion, garlic, and parsely from the meat filling and pulse. Add this mixture to the beef and saute in a pan with the seasonings. Cook till browned well. Add toasted pine nuts to the filling as well. Set aside.

Step 3

Once the dough is ready, cut the ball in half and roll out each half thinly. About 1 inch thick. Cut small circles into the dough using a cookie cutter or a small coffee cup. Spread out each circle and add 1 tsp of beef filling onto one side of the circle. Shape like an empanada pinching at the seams. Then pinch the ends of the dumpling together or overlap them to look like tortellini. Repeat this step until all the dough is done.

Step 4

Place the dumplings onto a nonstick pan sprayed with olive oil. Bake in a 400 F oven for about 10 minutes until lightly browned. Feel free to broil for a minute for more color.

Step 5

At this point, once the dumplings are cooled you can place them in a ziplock and freeze them for another meal.

Step 6

Let's work on the yogurt sauce. Add the yogurt, corn starch, salt, and water to a blender.

Step 7

Add this mixture to a pot and place on medium heat. Keep mixing until the sauce starts to thicken about 10-15 min until it boils. If you want it thickened more, add a ladle of the yogurt sauce into a bowl and add more corn starch to it and stir. Place back into the pot to thicken it. I like my yogurt thick enough to coat a spoon.

Step 8

Once at the consistency you prefer, add the dumplings and cook for 10 minutes together. They should be floating to thr top.

Step 9

In a pan, saute the garlic in olive oil until crisp. Add this to the yogurt sauce and garnish with dried mint as well. Enjoy warm!