Egyptian Goulash (Phyllo meat pie)

Egyptian goulash is made using phyllo pastry and a ground beef and onion filling, seasoned with warm middle eastern spices. The final product looks so impressive but it's actually so easy to make! Phyllo pastry can be found ready made at most grocery stores and it's easy to work with. The Egyptian goulash ends up being so crispy on the outside with a delicious meat filling. It's a must try, and one of my go-to dishes if I'm hosting a dinner.

Ingredients you'll need

The ingredients needed for this phyllo meat pie are so simple. You just need to make sure you purchase your phyllo pastry ahead of time. It's typically frozen and comes in a pack with at least 15-20 sheets. Here I've used 20 sheets in total, so if your pack has less than that, you need to use two. You'll need to thaw it overnight in the fridge or for a few hours on your counter.

How to make Egyptian goulash

I promised you that making Egyptian goulash would be easy. And you need to trust me on that! Here's what you'll need to do:

• Thaw your phyllo pastry ahead of time either overnight in the fridge or for a few hours on your counter. Ensure you have at least 20 sheets of phyllo dough
• Preheat your oven to 350F
• Make the meat filling by cooking the diced onion first with a bit of olive oil until softened, then add the meat and spices
• Melt the butter and mix with the olive oil. Using a 10" x 6" pan (you can use a slightly bigger pan too, the pie will just slightly less thick which is totally fine), brush the bottom with the butter/oil
• Roughly cut the phyllo dough it to fit your pan size. It doesn't have to be exact and its fine if the edges get folded over along the sides (this part will be extra crispy!).
• Add 2-3 layers of phyllo dough to the pan then brush with the butter/oil mixture. Make sure you're generous and add a good amount. Add the next 2-3 layers and continue brushing every third layer or so until you reach 10 layers minimum on the bottom (a few more is fine)
• Spoon the meat mixture onto the dough and flatten it with a spoon
• Repeat the same steps with the top of the pie, adding 2-3 layers and brushing with butter/oil. Stop when you have reached roughly 10 layers on the top as well
• Brush the top layer with butter/oil and carefully cut the pie into pieces using a sharp knife. Be sure to go all the way to the bottom and go over the cuts a few times
• Whisk together the milk, egg and spice mixture and pour over the top of the pie
• Bake for 45 minutes until golden brown and crispy on top

Tips for working with phyllo (or filo) dough

Phyllo pastry may be intimidating to some people, but I find it's quite easy to work with. This recipe is very forgiving as well, so if you're dough sheets tare, no need to worry! Here are some tips that will help:

• Work quickly when assembling the pie as phyllo dough tends to dry out if left out for a long period of time
• How can I prevent phyllo dough from drying? You can dampen a kitchen towel or paper towels and cover the phyllo dough to make sure it stays moist. As you use it, make sure to put the kitchen towel back on top
• How do I thaw phyllo dough? Phyllo dough must be thawed slowly, otherwise it will get soggy and the layers will stick together. Never thaw it in the microwave. Instead, thaw it overnight in the fridge or thaw it on your counter for a few hours.
• How long does phyllo dough last in the fridge? If you have opened the package and refrigerated it again, it will last a maximum of 1 week when covered tightly. For unopened packages, they can last for a few months in the fridge as long as they remain sealed
• Handle the phyllo dough with care as it can easily tare. But as I mentioned, for this recipe in particular, it's no worry because they sheets are going to meld together when baking
• Always cut the phyllo dough before baking. After phyllo dough bakes, it crisps up, which will make cutting it impossible. That's why it's important to ensure your cuts are deep and have penetrated all the layers. Do this by going over them a few times

FAQs and expert tips for Egyptian Goulash

• Can I add vegetables to this pie? Yes, you can add vegetables such as peas, carrots, mushrooms, spinach or kale. Simply cook them in with the meat mixture. Make sure your vegetables do not introduce extra moisture as that may make the pie soggy. To avoid this, cook them until all moisture evaporates
• Can I use more or less phyllo layers on the top and bottom? I found that 10 layers on the bottom and 10 on top provide good structure and a great crunch. You can definitely use more if you like. It's all about getting the right dough to filling ratio. If you don't have that much phyllo dough, you can use less sheets but also ensure that the meat filling is a thinner layer
• Can I skip the milk/egg mixture? The milk and egg mixture helps to keep the pie held together and it also adds great flavour. If you do not eat eggs, you can skip the eggs and just use milk

Make ahead instructions

Egyptian goulash is a great dish to have for dinner parties because you can cook the meat filling a few days before and keep it in the fridge. You don't need to heat it when you're using it as it will heat up in the oven. On the day of the event, you simply have to assemble everything with your phyllo dough which should not take more than 10-15 minutes and then bake it. If you want to save even more time, you can assemble it the whole pie a few days before but do not pour the milk/egg mixture on top. Keep it well covered in the fridge. When you're ready to use it, pour the milk/egg mixture and then bake it.

I know you're also wondering: "can I freeze this meat pie?". The answer is yes! You can freeze the baked pie, covered tightly. When you want to eat it, thaw it at room temperature then pop it in the oven until it's heated through and crisps up again.

Other recipes you might like

• Eggplant and Potato Moussaka
• Sumac chicken and onion (sheet pan dinner)
• Lahm Bi Ajeen
• Baklawa

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