An Iraqi Mosul-style pie in which we wrap spiced rice with meat, chicken, vegetables, and nuts in layers of golden pastry and bake it until it sets
We cook burda blao the way the homes of Mosul prepare it for occasions and feasts: a filling of spiced rice, meat, chicken, vegetables, and nuts that we wrap in golden pastry layers and bake in a pan, then invert so its crisp top shows.
It is a festive dish in which we gather rice, meat, and vegetables in a single piece that we serve at the center of the table.
Season the ground meat with some of the spices, shape it into small balls, and fry them in a little oil until browned, then remove them, and in the same oil sauté the onion until it wilts, then add the carrot and potato and stir them until they soften slightly.
Brown the vermicelli in a spoonful of oil until it turns golden, then add the drained rice, the water, the rest of the spices, and the salt, and leave it over low heat until the water is absorbed and the rice is cooked while staying firm.
Brown the almonds and raisins in a little butter until the almonds turn golden and the raisins plump up, for they give the pie its distinctive flavor and sweet touch.
Let the rice cool slightly, then mix it with the meatballs, the chopped chicken, the peas, the sautéed vegetables, the almonds, and the raisins in a wide bowl, and stir gently until the ingredients are evenly distributed.
Grease a round pan with butter, lay down layers of pastry sheets brushing each with a little oil and letting them hang over the edge of the pan, then spread half the filling, arrange the sliced boiled eggs on top, and add the rest of the filling.
Fold the overhanging pastry edges over the filling and cover it with extra pastry layers, brush the top with the egg yolk, and bake the pie in an oven preheated to 180 degrees for about half an hour until the top turns golden.
Let the pie rest for five minutes, then invert it onto a wide plate so its golden top shows, and serve it hot, cut into pieces, with a green salad or yogurt.
The glycemic index (GI) measures how quickly a food raises blood sugar, while the glycemic load (GL) measures how much a full serving raises it. Together they give the complete picture.
A low value (≤55) means a gradual rise in blood sugar — the most suitable range for diabetes and insulin resistance.
Glycemic load reflects the impact of the full serving. To lower it: take half a serving, or pair the recipe with a source of protein and fiber.
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet per FDA food-label reference values — your daily needs may be higher or lower. Values are derived from the recipe's ingredients via the USDA database.
The most common problems when preparing Iraqi Savory Rice and Meat Pie in Pastry (Burda Blao), and how to fix them:
Let the pie rest for five minutes after baking before inverting it, and use a non-stick pan well greased with butter.
Cook the rice until it absorbs all the water and stays firm rather than wet, and let it cool before filling.
Cover the top with foil and lower the heat a little so the inside cooks without the top burning.
Keep the pie in an airtight container for up to two days, and reheat it in the oven so it turns crisp again.
Freeze the filling on its own for up to a month, and it is best to assemble and bake it fresh so the pastry stays crisp.
| Original Ingredient | Tested Substitute | Ratio | Flavor Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| ground beef | ground lamb or ground chicken | same weight, 300 g | Lamb is closer to the traditional Mosul flavor |
| phyllo pastry sheets | thin homemade dough | same weight, 400 g | Ready-made phyllo is faster, and homemade dough is thicker and softer |
| almonds | pine nuts or cashews | same weight, 40 g | Pine nuts are closer to the Iraqi flavor and a little more expensive |
| vegetable oil | local ghee | same weight | Ghee deepens the traditional flavor and adds richness |
| Ingredient | Half amount | Base amount (base) | Double |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soaked rice | 150 g | 300 g | 600 g |
| Ground meat | 150 g | 300 g | 600 g |
| Boiled chicken | 100 g | 200 g | 400 g |
| Phyllo sheets | 200 g | 400 g | 800 g |
| Vegetable oil | 30 ml | 60 ml | 120 ml |
| Salt | 2.5 g | 5 g | 10 g |
Let the rice cool slightly before assembling the filling so it does not make the pastry soggy, and brush each pastry layer with a little oil so the top comes out crisp and golden after inverting.
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