Quzi (Al-Qozi) - Video

Ingredients

• finely chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• fried ground meat
• green peas, fresh or frozen
• salt and spices to taste
• Quzi pastry sheets (ready-made)
• large pieces of meat, boiled or fried in advance
• long-grain or basmati rice
• water to cook the rice
• nuts of your choice
• butter

Method

1. Sauté the onion in a little vegetable oil, then add the crushed garlic. Fry the onion and garlic until they start to brown, then add the ground meat that was fried earlier.
2. Add salt and spices to taste—seven-spice mix or black pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg and cinnamon.
3. Add the peas (if using frozen peas).
4. Add the rice. You can choose the type of rice you prefer; we made this recipe with basmati rice.
5. Add water according to the amount and needs of the rice. Cook the rice with the peas and vegetables until the rice is fully cooked.
6. Prepare the Quzi pastry sheets, cutting them in half if they are very large.
7. Place 3 layers of the pastry sheets in a somewhat deep bowl or cup, put nuts in the bottom according to availability and preference—fried pine nuts, almonds, and pistachios.
8. Place the large pieces of boiled or fried meat (this step is optional and you can omit the meat pieces since the recipe already contains ground meat).
9. Add a suitable amount of the rice mixture with the peas.
10. Fold the Quzi pastry over. Turn the Quzi onto a buttered baking tray and brush the top with melted butter as well.
11. Bake the Quzi in a preheated oven for about 12 minutes or until the pastry sheets are well browned.
12. Remove it from the oven, place it on a serving plate and garnish as desired.
13. For the filo dough recipe, click this link: How to make filo dough at home