Middle Eastern · main

Spicy Beef Olive & Onion Pie

Spicy Beef Olive & Onion Pie reads umami 5.9, herbaceous 3.7 and salinity 3.6 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Middle Eastern main, about 55 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 6.8 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 3.3 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 2.7 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.9 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 3.3 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.3 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 5.9 · Herbaceous 3.7 · Salinity 3.6 · Richness 3.0 · Funk & Ferment 2.8 · Sourness 2.6 · Sweetness 2.6 · Allium 2.6 · Marine & Briny 2.4 · Fruity 2.4 · Floral 2.1 · Warm Spice 1.9 · Bitterness 1.7 · Earthy 1.4 · Heat 0.9 · Nutty 0.7

What's in it (15)

• 2 large onions
• 1 12 kg beef stewing beef, cut into 3 cm cubes (one inch)
• 2 -3 tablespoons harissa
• 2 tablespoons plain flour
• 140 g tomato paste
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 2 cups beef stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 cup pitted kalamata olive
• 12 cup sun-dried tomato
• 14 cup of fresh mint
• 6 sheets frozen butter puff pastry, thawed before using
• 14 cup lightly packed brown sugar (40g)
• 1 egg, beaten

Time & effort: about 55 min (15 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 72.2 kcal, 1.6 g protein, 1.4 g fat, 13.4 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (18 steps)

1. Preheat oven to 160C Cut 1 onion into 6 thick rounds & set aside.
2. Finely chop the other onion.
3. Toss meat in harissa.
4. Heat oil in a flame-proof casserole (or large non-stick fry pan for slow cooking) on med-high heat.
5. Brown beef in batches then set aside.
6. Add chopped onion to pan & stir for 3-4 mins till soft.
7. Add paste, stir for 1 minute.
8. Add beef & flour & stir for 1 minute.
9. Add wine, stock, bay leaves & cinnamon the season.
10. Bring to a boil, then cover & place in oven (or remove to slow cooker) & cook for 2 hours for oven, until meat is tender.
11. Stir in olives, dried tomatoes & mint.
12. Cool completely.
13. Turn oven to 200C Brush reserved onion slices on one side with oil & coat in sugar.
14. Fry on med heat, sugar side down, for 1 min to brown.
15. Divide beef evenly between 6 350ml pie dishes (or place in one large dish).
16. Cover with pastry & trim edges.
17. Place 1 onion slice in centre of each pie (or down the middle of one large pie).
18. Brush pastry with egg & bake for 20-25 minutes until golden.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Three-Cheese Stuffed Shells with Marinara — Italian-American
• Chupe de Camarones — Peruvian
• Hallaca Caraqueña — Venezuelan
• Corfu-Style Cod — Greek
• Zucchini and Ricotta Stuffed Shells — Italian-American

Keep reading: what umami, herbaceous, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.