Baharat is an exotic North African spice blend that is also used in Lebanon, Syria, Israel, and Jordan. This popular spice blend is added to recipes in much the same way, as Indians would use garam masala. Getting the balance of spice is important in baharat as no single flavour should stand out and dominate, but rather each spice should make it's own distinct contribution. Hence, the end result should be aromatic and sweet, yet at the same time warm and pungent.

Typically you would use baharat as a dry rub to season lamb prior to grilling or roasting. It is also used to enhance the flavour of fish and chicken or you could add it to lentil dishes, pilafs, soups, tagines or vegetable casseroles.

In this instance I added it to some mushrooms that I had softened gently in olive oil, before tossing through some fresh spinach. I could have eaten these sweet smelling, aromatic mushrooms on some lightly toasted sough dough bread, but instead I chose to make a coiled filo pie similar to this one. Alternatively, you could also make individual filo cigars as opposed to one big pie.

How about I leave it for you to decide.

Mushroom and Spinach Pie with Baharat Spices

Ingredients

2 brown onions, finely chopped

3 cloves of garlic, minced

40ml of olive oil

200mls chicken or vegetable stock

½ tsp sweet paprika

½ tsp ground black pepper

½ tsp ground cumin

½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp finely grated nutmeg

½ tsp ground coriander

½ tsp ground cardamom

500g Swiss brown mushrooms, thickly sliced

500g Flat mushrooms, thickly sliced

1 bunch of spinach, roughly chopped

375g packet thick filo pastry

Cinnamon sugar to serve, optional



Method



1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Grease a 30cm round baking dish with some olive oil and set aside.



2. Heat a little olive in a large pan and gently fry the onion, garlic and baharat spices over a low heat for about 5 minutes or until the onion has softened. Add the mushrooms and stock and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often until the mushrooms are tender and the liquid has reduced. Add the spinach and stir until wilted, season to taste and allow to cool.

3. Take a sheet of filo pastry and evenly spoon a couple of tablespoonfuls of the mushroom mixture along the lower edge of the filo sheet. Roll the pastry tightly and then starting from the outer edge of the dish, spiral the roll inwards. Repeat the process and continue to spiral the mushroom filled filo rolls ensuring that the base is covered and that there are no gaps.



4. Brush the baharat spiced mushroom and spinach pie with melted butter and bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with a light sprinkling of ground cinnamon and icing sugar.





A Mediterranean Feast of the
Mythic Islands of Malta & Sicily

June 7th-17th, 2011
Ten day fully escorted gastronomic tour

 
Download 'A Mediterranean Feast' 2011 Tour Brochure ( 111kb pdf)

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