Kayseri-Style Layered Meat and Onion Puff Pastry

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A quicker take on the beloved Kayseri specialty traditionally stretched by hand into gossamer-thin sheets. Here, store-bought puff pastry stands in for the labor-intensive dough, wrapping a juicy filling of spiced ground lamb and sweet onion. Baked until deeply golden and shatteringly crisp, it pairs beautifully with ayran or a simple shepherd's salad.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 585 kcalCalories
• 38 gFat
• 14 gSaturated Fat
• 34 gCarbs
• 2 gFiber
• 4 gSugar
• 22 gProtein
• 720 mgSodium
• 380 mgPotassium
• 55 mgCalcium
• 4 mgIron
• 6 mgVitamin C
• 120 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the meat filling

• 300 g ground lamb
• 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon Turkish red pepper flakes (pul biber)
• 1 teaspoon ground sumac
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil

For assembly

• 500 g all-butter puff pastry (2 sheets, thawed but cold)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds or nigella seeds (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and sauté the onion for 4–5 minutes until softened and lightly golden at the edges.
3. Add the ground lamb and break it up with a wooden spoon; cook for 6–7 minutes until no pink remains and any liquid evaporates.
4. Stir in the tomato paste, pul biber, sumac, black pepper, and salt; cook 2 more minutes until the mixture looks dry and cohesive. Off heat, fold in the parsley and let cool for 10 minutes.
5. On a floured surface, roll each puff pastry sheet into a 30 × 25 cm rectangle. Brush one sheet with melted butter, spread the cooled meat filling evenly, and leave a 2 cm border.
6. Top with the second pastry sheet, press the edges to seal, and crimp with a fork. Brush the surface with egg wash and score diagonal lines across the top with a sharp knife.
7. Bake for 28–32 minutes until puffed and a deep mahogany gold. Slide onto a rack and rest 5 minutes before slicing into squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Cook’s Notes

• Keep the puff pastry cold right up until baking; if it warms too much it will lose its flaky rise.
• Drain any visible fat or moisture from the meat filling before spreading—wet filling makes the bottom sheet soggy.
• For a more traditional Kayseri flavor, swap half the parsley for fresh mint and add a pinch of allspice.
• Score the top deeply enough to pierce both pastry layers so steam escapes and the pastry stays crisp.
• Reheat leftover slices in a 180°C oven for 5 minutes to restore the crackle; never use the microwave.

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