Delightful bite-sized pastries with a creamy, flaky crust encasing a savory, spiced ground beef filling. Ideal for any gathering.
# What You Need:
→ Cream Cheese Pastry
01 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
02 - 8 oz unsalted butter, cold and diced
03 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
04 - 1/2 tsp salt
→ Beef Filling
05 - 1 lb ground beef
06 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
07 - 1 clove garlic, minced
08 - 1/2 tsp ground allspice
09 - 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
10 - 1/4 tsp ground cloves
11 - 1/2 tsp dried thyme
12 - 1/2 tsp salt
13 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
14 - 1/4 cup beef broth
15 - 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
16 - 1 tbsp unsalted butter
→ Assembly
17 - 1 egg, beaten
# How-To Steps:
01 - Blend cream cheese and butter in a large bowl until smooth. Add flour and salt; mix until soft dough forms. Divide in half, flatten into disks, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
02 - Melt 1 tbsp butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add ground beef and cook until browned, breaking up with a spoon. Stir in allspice, cinnamon, cloves, thyme, salt, and pepper. Pour in beef broth and simmer until mostly evaporated, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in parsley, and let cool.
03 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
04 - Roll out pastry dough on a floured surface to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut 2 3/4 inch rounds. Place half the rounds on prepared sheets.
05 - Spoon 1 heaping teaspoon of beef filling onto each round. Brush edges lightly with water, top with another pastry round, and seal edges with a fork.
06 - Brush tops with beaten egg. Cut a small slit in each for steam to escape.
07 - Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool slightly before serving.
