Middle Eastern Fetayeh Pinwheels

Seasoned with warm Arab spices, ground beef, onions and pinenuts are rolled up in flour tortillas and baked, to create these fusion beef pinwheels. Just a dab of cheese will do you, in the middle. Serve as an appetizer or entree for a delicous, satisfying morsel!

Middle Eastern Fetayeh Pinwheels

1 ½ pounds lean ground beef (85% lean, 15% fat) 1 medium onion, finely chopped 1/3 cup butter 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground allspice 1 ½ tablespoon Sumac 1/3 cup tomato paste ½ cup pine nuts 1/3 cup fresh minced parlsey (or 2 tablespoons dried) ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper, to taste 1 ¼ cups grated Kashkaval cheese (or use Provolone or a mild white cheddar as a substitute) 6 large flour tortillas olive or vegetable oil for brushing

--To Make Filling:

In a medium frying pan, melt 1/3 cup butter. Sauté the onions in the butter over medium heat until softened, turning frequently, about 10 minutes. Place the ground beef along with the spices, tomato paste, pine nuts, salt and pepper, parsley, and sautéed onions into a medium mixing bowl. Using your hands or a large wooden spoon, stir and combine the mixture until it is well mixed. Set aside.

-On a counter, lay out 3 large flour tortillas overlapping at the edges, as for a Venn diagram. Brush the tortilla surfaces generously with olive oil, then spoon the ground beef in the middle of the overlapping tortillas. Working with your hands or a spatula, spread out the beef into a flat, even layer to within 1 inch of the edges. (If using cheese, place slices or grated cheese along one long edge.) Starting from the same long edge, roll the tortillas over the filling to the other edge, firmly, creating one long roll. (Makes 2 rolls)

-Using a serrated blade knife, slice the rolls into 1 ½ inch thick rounds. Place the rounds on a greased or parchment paper-lined baking sheet or thread onto thick metal skewers (about 5 per skewer). Bake in a preheated 390-degree oven, until golden and bubbly on one side, about 15 minutes, then turn over and continue to bake another 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, then brush the outsides of each pinwheel well with olive oil. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

-Serve with hummus or tahini sauce as an appetizer. Or serve as an entree - 2 per person - with hummus on the side along with white rice and Jordanian Salad. (Check out this Salad: https://www.persnicketypanhandler.com/blog/fattoush-salad?rq=Salads‍ )

-Makes 10 pinwheels.

Place the ground beef, seasonings, onions , pine nuts and tomato paste into a mixing bowl. Combine until distributed evenly.

Place 3 large flour tortillas on a work surface, overlapping in the middle. Spoon the beef mixture onto the center of the tortillas.

Press the beef mixture to cover the tortillas to within 1 inch of the edges and then place the cheese along one long edge.

Starting on long cheese edge, firmly roll the tortillas up and over the filling to the other edge.

Slice each roll into 1 ½ inch rounds. Place on greased or paper lined baking sheet or thread onto metal skewers.

Bake until pinwheels are browned and sizzling, on each side. Serve as appetizers with hummus.

Or serve as an entree with hummus on the side, along with white rice and a simple Arab salad of tomatoes and cucumbers. An easy, satisfying bite that tastes like an Arab spice market, yet borrowing a Mexican wrapper to keep it all contained!

PERSNICKETY NOTES:

**Sumac is a tangy, lemony, deep red spice made from the dried and ground berries of wild shrubs that grow in the Middle East and is used as a spice and garnish with meats, soups, salads, and bread. If you can’t find Sumac in your grocery store, try Arab or international groceries, or even order it from Amazon. It is a staple for all my Middle Eastern cooking.

**The pinwheels can also be grilled on a barbecue. For this technique, it is best to place the rounds on kebabs (metal skewers). Place skewers on a hot, greased grill. Cook over a medium flame until cooked on one side - about 3 minutes - then turn to the other side for an additional 3 minutes. Place skewers up above the grill on the shelf. Close the lid on the barbecue and allow the rounds to continue to cook through on low heat for an additional 3 minutes.