Are you looking for a delicious and creative dish for your next gathering? Look no further than these traditional Middle Eastern Beef Ouzi pockets. It is an easy-to-make recipe that is great for Ramadan. It is sure to make your event memorable and enjoyable for all your guests.
This is a beautiful way to serve ouzi, and it’s not complicated to make. It is made of crispy phyllo dough stuffed with spiced rice and beef filling. The best of all, you can repurpose your actual ouzi leftovers this way!
Ouzi is of Turkish origin and is a popular dish in the Levant region, which includes Syria, Jordan, and Palestine. It is commonly made for weddings, gatherings, Ramadan, and Eid.
It is an unforgettable culinary experience. You will love just how delicious it is!
Heavenly Beef Ouzi Pockets
A Delightful Way To Serve Beef Ouzi
Ouzi is more than just flavors, it also has an aesthetic component; it usually resembles round balls. Beef Ouzi pockets are phyllo pastries filled with spices rice and meat. They can be served with Cucumber Yogurt Salad | Khiyar Bi Laban which is made of thick Greek yogurt, a pinch of salt, and dried mint. Check out my recipe for more details.
If you prefer, you can substitute it for plain yogurt. And you could never go wrong with a bowl of salad.
Due to its organized and tidy shape for presentation, Ouzi is frequently severed at banquets, occasions, and weddings. It is considered a high-end and fancy dish.
It’s also distinguished by its delectable shape, which foreshadows its flavor before you try it.
Table’s Main Attraction Dish
Tips and Tricks For The Best Phyllo Dough
The phyllo dough should be thawed, so I would recommend letting it thaw overnight in the fridge (in closed box).
Because phyllo dough dries out quickly, place a damp kitchen towel over the opened pack of dough while assembling.
You don’t want the dough to get soggy. So layer one sheet, spray, then another sheet, and repeat.
Make sure to add enough rice to fill the pockets, then close the edges and trim the excess.
Bake at 425 for 10-20 minutes or until crispy and golden.
In order to determine how large to cut the phylo dough squares, first fine the bowl you’ll use to assemble your rice mound. You need to cut the dough at least twice as big as the bowl so that the dough can line the bowl with still enough left over to drape completely over the mound of rice.
It is best to garnish Ouzi with nuts or vegetables like broccoli and beans.
A Dish with Aromatic and Tempting Flavor
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Ouzi is also known as whole lamb on rice, it is more commonly served in the Levant to refer to individual stuffed rice parcels. This is when you wrap cooked, spiced rice with minced meat, peas, and pine nuts in the dough. Phyllo dough or puff pastry can be used.
Yes, you can definitely give it a try. But make sure to roll it out thin.
Ouzi can be stored for up to 3-4 days in the fridge. If heated in the microwave, it will still taste great, but less crispy. Heating it in the oven will retain the crispiness of the phyllo pastry better.
You can make them in advance and bake them just before dinner.
Beef Ouzi Pockets Are a Hit at any Iftar Table
Ingredients
For the Spiced Beef Ouzi Pockets, you will need the following ingredients
Soaked basmati rice: the main ingredient for the filling. It requires less cooking time as the grain absorbs water.
Oil of choice: used to sauté the onions.
Frozen peas: always available, and full of vitamins and healthy choice and add.
Yellow onion: to give the recipe a lovely and caramelized flavor.
Garlic cloves: has a strong flavor that spreads throughout the dish.
Ground beef, any fat: the main ingredient.
Toasted nuts for mix-ins and topping: optional, it gives a delectable taste and is used for decoration.
Phyllo dough sheets: for the crunchy and golden layer.
Butter or cooking spray: it prevents the sheets from sticking together.
Seasonings: coriander powder, garlic powder, 7 spice, black pepper, cinnamon, onion powder, salt, turmeric, Aleppo pepper, and chicken bouillon powder.
A Spicy Meaty Dish with a Mediterranean Hint
Steps to Prep
For The Beef
First, saute the onions in oil until translucent. Then, add the beef and the spices.
Then, cook until well done.
For the Rice
First, saute the onions into oil until translucent. Then, add the garlic and saute until fragrant.
Next, add frozen peas and carrots if using, and saute for 2 minutes. Then, add the soaked and washed rice and spices and mix.
After that, add the ground beef and toasted nuts and mix, then add the hot water.
Now, let it boil for 5 minutes then simmer for 15-20.
Once cooked, you can mix in toasted nuts if you would like before stuffing the dough.
At this point, take 5 phyllo dough sheets and spray them or brush them with butter, and LIGHTLY spray your bowl. You don’t want the dough to get soggy.
Last but not least, layer one sheet, spray, then another sheet, and repeat.
Finally, add rice enough to fill, then close the edges and trim the excess. Make sure to place on parchment-lined sheet and bake at 425 degrees F for 10-20 minutes or until crispy or golden.
Enjoy!
Must-Try Recipes:
Meat Stuffed Pitas (Palestinian Arayes)
Middle Eastern Kidney Bean Beef Stew
Easy Beef Stroganoff Recipe Recipe
Tender Middle Eastern Style Beef Shawarma
Chicken Maqluba (Flipped Upside Down)
Meat Stuffed Pitas (Palestinian Arayes)
Palestinian Cauliflower Fritters (Emshat)
If you’ve tried this recipe, don’t forget to rate it and leave a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience. You can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Beef Ouzi Pockets
Ingredients
Beef Ingredients:
- ¾ pound ground beef any fat
- 2 tablespoons oil of your choice
- 1 small yellow onions diced
- ¾ teaspoon 7 spices
- ¾ teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon aleppo pepper optional
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- toasted nuts for mix ins and topping
Rice Ingredients
- 1½ cups basmati rice washed and soaked
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 cup frozen peas you can add more
- 1 medium yellow onion minced
- 5 large garlic cloves minced
- 1½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons 7 spice
- 1½ teaspoons coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
- 1 tablespoon chicken bullion powder
- Salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon turmeric to add color
- Phyllo dough sheets
- Butter or cooking spray
Instructions
For the Beef
- Sauté the onions in oil until translucent, then add the beef and spices.
- Cook until well done.
For the Rice
- Sauté onions in oil until translucent, then add the garlic and sauté until fragrant.
- Add frozen peas and carrots if using, and sauté for 2 minutes.
- Add the soaked and washed rice and spices and mix.
- Add the ground beef and toasted nuts and mix, then add the hot water.
- Let it boil for 5 minutes then simmer for 15-20.
- Once cooked, you can mix in toasted nuts if you would like before stuffing the dough.
- Take 5 phyllo dough sheets and spray them or brush them with butter, and lightly spray your bowl. You don't want the dough to get soggy.
- Layer one sheet, spray, then another sheer, and repeat.
- Add rice enough to fill, then close the edges and trim the excess. Make sure to place it on parchment lined sheet and bake at 425 degrees F for 10-20 minutes or until crispy or golden.
Notes
- If you don’t want the dough to get soggy. layer one sheet, spray, then another sheet, and repeat.
- Bake at 425 degrees F for 10-20 minutes until crispy and golden.
- Frozen peas are a good choice, but you can skip them.
I always thought these would be hard to make but your recipe really made it simple. My husband said they were delicious and lookef exquisite. I did end up adding peas and carrots so they would have more vegetables and it didn’t disappoint! Will definitely be making this again!
I always thought these would be hard to make but your recipe really made it simple. My husband said they were delicious and looked exquisite. I did end up adding peas and carrots so they would have more vegetables and it didn’t disappoint! Will definitely be making this again! Thanks for making the steps simple and ways to follow.
This was way easier than it looks! Extremely flavorful and tastes amazing. Definitely good for having people over because the presentation is really nice. Really easy to follow recipe-instructions make it very easy to make this great meal! Was definitely a hit with my family.
Nothing beats the phyllo dough crunch! This was so fun to make and was definitely a family favorite!
This was amazing! The spices were perfect, and instructions were so clear it was so well made from the first try! Such a good ramadan iftar