Fried tortillas with beef

This dish was originally cooked only certain regions of Ukraine and Asia. In Ukraine it was cooked by Crimean Tatars. Originally it was cooked for purposes of preserving the meat of a lamb and this was a good food for travelling at a great distances (The meat could be stored longer). This dish was cooked in Turkey (and is still cooked) and in Azerbaijani. Originally the filling was minced lamb meat and onion plus salt and pepper. The dough is very simple flour and water and an egg (if they had one). And it was cooked in an enormous frying pan full of oil.

At the times of Soviet Union (after 1920-s) this dish spread around the republics as a fast to cook and relatively cheap dish. Now Crimean Tatars cook this dish (Chiburekki (Crimean Tatar: çüberek, Turkish: çi? börek, Tajik: chiburekki, Azerbaijani: ?t qutab? sing.: cheburek) with variety of fillings. Last time, when I visited Crimea, I was served with Chebureki with different fillings: cottage cheese, beef, lamb and even with veggies. (Tourism is flourishing, so you have to satisfy the needs of different tourists with various tastes).

Living in the US, you need to cook everything faster, that?s why I use ready tortillas for this dish, and for this dish not to be too greasy I use a little of vegetable oil and sometime even bake them ( less cholesterol).

You can also cook this dish with fruit, berries, I sometimes use bacon and cheese, whatever you want.

Mix meat with finely chopped onion and finely chopped garlic and add 1 egg. Stir very well, ad salt and pepper; you may add the herbs as well.

Put a thin layer on one part of tortilla and cover with the second and press it a little.

Preheat the frying pan at medium heat, add cooking oil and fry on one side until golden brown, and then turn Cheburek on the other side.

Check that if your meat is cooked (with fork, toothpick), if not cover the frying pan with a lid and turn down the heat to minimum. (Cook for additional 5 min.)

Enjoy!

Helen
http://helenscooking.info/2011/07/fried-tortillas-with-beef/