These delicious mediterranean canapes may take time to prepare but they will be sure to wow your guests.
Serves 20
Cooking & Prep Time: 135 minutes
What You’ll Need:
- 225g/8oz lean stewing or braising steak such as boneless shin, feather or chuck steak, cut into 1cm/½inch cubes
- 5ml/1tsp dried oregano
- Salt and freshly milled black pepper
- 10ml/2tsp sunflower oil
- 1 small red onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 25g/1oz smoked back bacon, chopped or pancetta cubes
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
- 10ml/2tsp sun-dried tomato paste
- 150ml/¼pint red wine or good, hot beef stock
- 1 x 227g can chopped tomatoes
- 15-25g/½-1oz black or green olives, roughly chopped
- 200g/7oz filo pastry sheets, thawed if frozen
- 50g/2oz butter, melted
- Fresh small oregano leaves, to garnish
What To Do:
- To make the filling, place the beef in a large bowl, season, add the dried oregano and mix well.
- Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan and cook the beef for 4-5 minutes turning occasionally until brown.
- Add the onion, bacon or pancetta and garlic to the frying pan and cook for 2-3 minutes until the onion is soft but not brown. Add the tomato paste, wine or stock, chopped tomatoes and olives.
- Spoon into a small casserole dish and bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 1½-2 hours, stirring occasionally. Preheat the oven to Gas mark 4, 180°C, 350°F.
- To prepare the filo pastry, brush the filo sheets with the melted butter and with a sharp knife cut into 60 x 6cm/2½inch squares. Lightly grease 2 mini muffin tins and line each hole with three buttered filo squares, placing each one at a slightly different angle and gently press down.
- Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes until golden and crisp. Remove the tins from the oven and gently transfer the canapés to a metal cooling rack and set aside.
- Place the canapés on a serving platter, spoon about 10ml/2tsp of the filling into each, garnish with the fresh oregano and serve immediately.
Recipe from Simplybeefandlamb.co.uk