Mary’s Little Lambs
Filo Cups With Spiced Lamb, Mint, and Feta

Don’t be intimidated working with filo-these pastry cups are really quire simple. While working, cover the unused filo with plastic wrap and a damp dish towel to prevent it from drying out.

6 sheets filo dough, each trimmed to 12 by 16 inches and cut into 48 two-inch squares (stack the sheets and cut them all at once)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onions
2 tablespoons minced garlic
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
8 ounces lean ground lamb
½ cup black currants
1 ¼ teaspoons ground cumin
¾ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon allspice
¼ cup julienned fresh mint
¼ cup crumbled feta

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Mold 3 filo squares into the bottom of a miniature (1-inch) muffin tin. Place 3 more filo squares at a 45-degree angle on top and press gently into the muffin cups. Brush lightly with melted butter. Cook until lightly golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Let cool. Place on a baking sheet and cover tightly with plastic wrap until ready to use.

Heat the oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic. Season with ¼ teaspoon of the kosher salt and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper. Cook until the onions are tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the lamb, black currants, cumin, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, remaining ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Cook until the lamb is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Stir in the mint.

To Assemble: Place 1 heaping teaspoon of the lamb mixture in each filo cup. Top with a heaping ¼ teaspoon feta. Serve while the filling is warm.

Do Ahead Tips: The filo cups can be prepared up to 5 days in advance and stored in an airtight container. The filling can be prepared up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated. (Do not add the mint until assembly.) The cups can be filled up to 1 hour in advance and warmed in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes.