Sandra Ghatas’ mother cooked a wonderful meal with many Egyptian dishes for Scott and me when we went to her family’s home to interview Sandra. While they were all delicious, the following was my favorite.

1 tablespoon butter

2 onions, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Cooking spray

16 oz package Phyllo dough, defrosted (see below)

1 cup milk

2 eggs

Defrost Phyllo by placing on a counter for three hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in large frying  pan. Add meat, onion, and garlic and cook over medium heat stirring frequently to break the meat up into small pieces until meat is nicely browned. Drain well. Stir in salt and pepper. Spray bottom of 9 x 13 inch pan with cooking spray. Lay 3 sheets of Phyllo over bottom and spray with cooking spray. Repeat the last instruction until half of the dough is used. Spread meat mixture over dough leaving edges free. Layer remaining dough on top as instructed for the bottom layer. Push down edges. Cut into serving sized pieces with very sharp knife. Make sure you cut all the way to the bottom. Beat eggs and milk together and pour over dish. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes until nicely browned.

Wrap any leftovers in plastic wrap and place in a container and refrigerate. To serve, bring to room temperature and heat for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

Next Month: Seven Layer Salad