Minced Meat Rolls

With school/college/university re-opened, I am back to making foods that can work as a stand-in for a meal as well as breakfast; teatime eats and light night eating. These ground beef rolls fit the bill perfectly. Think Guyanese beef patty, but without the pastry. The seasoned minced meat is encased in a soft bread dough.

Once out of the oven, the rolls are brushed with melted butter. The light sprinkling of scallions (green parts only) is optional but it gives an herby aroma that is quite appetizing.

Yield: 7

INGREDIENTS

For dough:

• 2 cups all purpose flour, plus extra for work surface
• 1 tablespoon white granulated sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons instant yeast
• ¼ teaspoon fine table salt
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• Warm water (110 – 115 degrees F)
• 1 ½ tablespoons melted butter (salted or unsalted)

For filling:

• 1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil
• ¾ cup finely chopped onions
• 1 ½ tablespoons finely chopped herbs (combo of celery, thyme, parsley)
• 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
• Minced hot pepper to taste
• ¾ pound ground beef
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• Salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

For dough:

1. Mix together the flour, sugar, yeast and salt in a bowl.
2. Add vegetable oil and enough water to make a soft dough. Turn dough on to a floured work surface and knead for 4 minutes.
3. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl and rub all over the dough with oil. Cover and place in a warm draft free place to proof for 1 to 1 ½ hours or until more than doubled in size.

For filling:

1. Heat oil in a skillet type frying pan over medium heat until hot. Add onions, herbs, garlic and pepper. Stir to mix, reduce heat to low and cook until softened and fragrant.
2. Raise heat to high and add meat and Worcestershire sauce. Toss well to mix with aromatics. Cook until meat is no longer pink and liquid has evaporated. Season with salt to taste and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool completely.

Assembly:

1. Punch down dough and knead for 2 minutes. Divide into 7 equal pieces; form each piece of dough into a ball and rest for 5 minutes. Cover with bowl to prevent the dough from drying and forming a skin.
2. Working with 1 piece of dough at a time, roll each ball into a 3-inch circle and spoon some of the filling in the center. Gather the edges and seal dough encasing the filling. Place seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet or as I did, in a cast iron skillet brushed with oil. Repeat until all the dough balls are rolled, stuffed and filled. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour.
3. 20 minutes before the hour is up, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
4. Bake the rolls for 25 – 30 minutes or until golden brown.
5. Brush with melted butter as soon as the pan comes out of the oven and scatter scallions. Let rest in pan for 10 minutes then transfer to wire rack to cool.
6. Serve warm or at room temperature.

NOTE

• Double the ingredients to make twice as many rolls. You can make even more rolls by dividing the dough into smaller pieces.