Sweet Potato and Ground Beef Phyllo Cigars
Serves: 24
 
Crisp phyllo pastry rolls filled with creamy sweet potatoes and spicy ground beef.
Ingredients
Mashed Sweet Potatoes
  • 2 large sweet potatoes, medium chunks, boiled till tender
  • 1 tablespoon or to taste, Harissa paste
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
  • salt to taste
Spiced Ground Beef
  • 1 lb/455g lean ground beef/chicken
  • 1 small onion, finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 2 teaspoon ras el hanout spice mix
  • 1 tablespoon mint, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon cilantro, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • Salt to taste
Phyllo Rolls
  • 12 sheets phyllo, cut in half
  • 6 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 3 tablespoons milk
Instructions
Mashed Sweet Potatoes
  1. Mash the sweet potatoes until no big lumps exist.
  2. You want the mash to be fairly lump free and smooth.
  3. Add the Harissa paste, cumin, coriander and salt.
  4. Check the seasonings and adjust as desired.
  5. Add more Harissa if you'd like it more spicy.
Spiced Ground Beef
  1. In a large fry pan, heat the oil on medium and add the chopped onions.
  2. Cook until lightly browned and add the garlic and ras el hanout.
  3. When the garlic and spices are fragrant, add the ground beef or chicken,
  4. Cook until the ground meat is no longer pink and fairly dry.
  5. Add salt to taste.
  6. Add the mint and cilantro.
Rolling The Phyllo
  1. Add the milk to the melted butter and keep aside.
  2. Unpack the phyllo sheets from the box and plastic wrap and lay on a tray and cover with a damp towel.
  3. Take a sheet of phyllo dough and lay on the counter or chopping board and carefully cut in half if not done already.
  4. Make sure the rest of the phyllo sheets are covered back up with the wet towel.
  5. Brush liberally with the melted butter and milk mixture.
  6. Lay a couple of teaspoons or so of mashed sweet potato and a teaspoon of ground meat in a log shape at one end of the phyllo sheet.
  7. Now, gently roll up the edges into an egg roll shape.
  8. Brushing with more butter and milk if needed to keep the roll moist and able to stick.
  9. Place on a baking sheet until you finish rolling the rest.
  10. Repeat with the rest of the sheets.
  11. Bake 12 rolls on a tray and space them apart.
  12. If you want to bake them immediately, preheat the oven to 375℉.
  13. Bake the rolls for 20-30 minutes until golden brown and crisp.
Notes
I chose to do North African spices, but these can be any spice you want. Try an Indian version or Middle Eastern.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 2677 Fat: 167g Saturated fat: 71g Unsaturated fat: 81g Trans fat: 7g Carbohydrates: 187g Sugar: 17g Sodium: 2203mg Fiber: 15g Protein: 104g Cholesterol: 467mg
Recipe by Coffee and Crumpets at http://www.coffeeandcrumpets.com/sweet-potato-ground-beef-phyllo-cigars/