Spiced Lamb In Orange Scented Honey Phyllo - almonds

Method

• Heat oven to 375°. Heat a saute pan over medium heat and toast almonds until golden. Set aside. Toast cinnamon, cumin, coriander and anise in the pan for a minute or two. Add aleppo and cook another 30 seconds or until fragrant (be careful as it can burn quickly). Add to spice grinder, cool and grind to a powder.
• Add 1 T oil to the pan and saute onions with a pinch of salt until beginning to brown. Add garlic, 1 t tangerine zest, and ginger and cook another couple minutes. Remove to a bowl and add lamb to pan. Break up any clumps and cook until no longer pink. Drain off fat, season with 1/2 t salt. Add back onions, spice mixture and 2 T tangerine juice and cook a few more minutes until almost no liquid remains. Remove from heat.
• Mix honey, 2 T butter and 3 T tangerine juice. Heat in a saucepan or microwave for about 25-30 seconds to melt honey and mix well. Put two phyllo sheets on a cutting board. Brush with about 1/6 the honey butter mixture and sprinkle with 1/3 of the almonds and a slight sprinkle of salt. Place two phyllo sheets on top and brush on another 1/6 of the honey butter. Cut phyllo with a pizza cutter or knife (perpendicular to the long side) in half and half again so you have 4, 3" strips.
• Place about 3 T of the lamb mixture at the bottom of a strip and carefully fold up one corner to form a triangle. Fold the triangle up, then over, then up as though folding a flag. Repeat with remaining three strips, then repeat with two more batches so you have 12 triangles. Brush lightly with one more coat of honey butter. Brush remaining 1 T oil on a cookie sheet and bake for about 15 minutes or until very golden.
• I loved these as is, but they would also be good with a spiced yoghurt dip- perhaps a mix of sriracha and sour cream/yoghurt or more aleppo pepper.