* Moroccan-spiced lamb triangles recipe

Preparation Time 20 minutes
Cooking Time 30 minutes
Makes 20

Ingredients

1 tbs olive oil
1 small brown onion, halved, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 1/2 tbs Middle Eastern spice (harissa) mix (McCormick brand)
250g lamb mince
50g (1/4 cup) finely chopped dried dates
40g (1/4 cup) toasted slivered almonds (Ducks brand)
70g (1/4 cup) natural yoghurt
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh coriander
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
20 sheets filo pastry
80g butter, melted
1 tbs caraway seeds

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until onion softens. Add the spice mix and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until fragrant. Add the lamb and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up any lumps, for 5 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from heat. Add the dates, almonds, yoghurt and coriander, and stir to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Set aside for 15 minutes to cool.

2. Place the filo sheets on a clean work surface. Cover with a clean tea towel, then a damp tea towel (this will prevent it drying out). Brush 1 filo sheet with melted butter and fold lengthways into 3 to make a 5cm-wide strip of pastry. Place 1 tbs of the mince mixture on the narrow edge closest to you. Use your fingers to hold the mince in place and fold the bottom right-hand corner over diagonally to cover filling. Continue folding on the diagonal until the end of the pastry strip is reached and a triangle forms. Place on a baking tray. Repeat, with the remaining pastry, melted butter and filling, to make another 19 triangles.

3. Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush triangles with any remaining melted butter and sprinkle with caraway seeds. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until triangles are heated through and pastry is golden brown. Remove from oven.

4. Arrange triangles on a large serving platter and serve immediately