Meat Pies

Attention meat-lovers! These are delicious! Meat pies are similar to spinach pies, only they are stuffed with ground beef, pine nuts, and other spices.  Like with most Lebanese dishes, feel free to substitute the beef with lamb. 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound of pre-made dough (pizza dough or bread dough or you can also make your own)
• Flour
• 1 pound ground beef (any percent but we always do 93% or above) 
• 1 medium sized diced onion
• Salt 
• Pepper 
• Allspice
• Olive oil
• Pine nuts *optional*

Instructions:
1. In large skillet, add 1&1/2 tablespoons of olive oil and heat on medium, heat oil and add diced onion and saute 
2. Once onions are wilted, add beef and 5 dashes of pepper, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of allspice, cook until meat is cooked and dried up (spices to taste... lessen one and add more of another if desired)

3. *optional* In a small frying pan, add 2 tablespoons of pine nuts and 1/2 teaspoon olive oil and toast (should take a few minutes, keep an eye on them to make sure they don't burn) 
4. After mixture is cooked add toasted pine nuts and set aside to cool
5. Begin to flatten your dough in flour (the flour keeps it from sticking), Eva uses a stick from Lebanon but you can also use a rolling pin)

6. Once flattened, cut out circles using a small plate or soup bowl to measure size and cut around it

7. Move cut circles to a lightly floured area on counter until you have finished cutting
8. Preheat oven at 375 and grease baking sheet with olive oil
9. Using a regular serving spoon, place 2 scoops of meat on each circle

10. Bring two sides together to the center and press the sides closed, do again for the other two sides to form a triangle, for meat pies you don't need an opening. You can also make squares by bringing four sides together to press
11. Place baking sheet on bottom rack of oven for 30 minutes or until the bottom is golden brown 
12. After 30 minutes, place backing sheet on top rack for up to 5 minutes or until the top is golden brown
13. Remove pan from oven and remove meat pies to a cooling rack

Enjoy! :)