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1
Brown the Spiced Beef
10 Mins
Medium-high heat
Heat the 15 ml olive oil in a large pan, add the 200 g chopped onion and cook 4 minutes until soft. Add the 600 g ground beef and break it up with a spoon, then add the 12 g garlic and the mixed spices with the 6 g salt. Cook 6–8 minutes, stirring, until the beef is browned all through and no pink remains — it must reach 71°C (160°F). Stir in the 20 g parsley, drain off any excess fat, and set aside to cool slightly.
Do not crowd the pan: if the beef steams instead of browning, cook it in two batches.
Done when: The beef is evenly browned, crumbly and dry, with no pink and no pool of fat.
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2
Whisk the Milk-Egg Wash
3 Mins
Room temperature
Whisk the 2 eggs (100 g) with the 240 ml milk and a pinch of salt until smooth. This wash is what makes Egyptian goulash different from a plain borek: it soaks between the sheets, sets as it bakes, and keeps the middle soft while the top crisps.
Whisk until no streaks of egg white remain, or the wash sets in patches.
Done when: A smooth, pale-yellow liquid with no streaks.
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3
Layer the Base
8 Mins
Oven preheating to 190°C (375°F)
Lay the first phyllo sheet in the greased tray, letting the edges hang over the sides. Brush it with melted ghee, then with a spoonful of the milk-egg wash. Repeat with 7 more sheets, brushing each one, until you have 8 layers on the bottom.
Do not skimp on the wash: it is what glues the sheets together and keeps the goulash soft inside while the top crisps.
Done when: Eight sheets lie flat in the tray, each one glossy with ghee and wash, edges overlapping the sides.
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4
Add the Filling and Top Layers
8 Mins
Room temperature
Spread the cooled spiced beef evenly over the base layers, right to the edges. Lay 8 more phyllo sheets on top, brushing each one with ghee and wash just as before, then fold the overhanging edges in over the top and brush them too.
Let the beef cool for 5 minutes first: hot filling steams the bottom layers and makes them soggy.
Done when: The filling is level, the top is flat, and the folded edges are tucked in neatly.
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5
Score and Pour the Wash
4 Mins
Room temperature
With a sharp knife, cut the pie into 8 squares, cutting cleanly through the top layers down to the filling. Pour the remaining milk-egg wash evenly over the top so it runs into the cuts.
Cut before baking, not after: the crisp top shatters if you try to cut it once it is baked.
Done when: Eight even squares, with the wash pooled lightly in the cuts.
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6
Bake Until Golden
35 Mins
190°C (375°F)
Bake for 30–35 minutes until the top is deeply golden and crisp and the wash has set — a knife in the centre should come out hot, and the filling should reach 74°C (165°F) when reheated through. Rest for 10 minutes before serving so the layers set and the squares lift out cleanly.
If the top browns too fast, cover it loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
Done when: Deep golden, crisp top; the squares hold their shape when lifted out.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve the Egyptian goulash warm, cut into squares, with a chopped salad and pickles. It is at its best in the first hour, when the top is still crisp and the beef filling is juicy.
Egypt
1h 15m
