Beef and butternut squash bricks with parmesan, cucumber salad

Ingredients

• 8 sheets Brick sheets (ready-to-use, briefly dipped in water)
• 300 g Ground meat (minced steak) (leftover meat, to be fully cooked)
• 200 g Butternut squash (peeled and diced 1 cm)
• 1 medium Onion (finely sliced)
• 2 cloves Garlic cloves (chopped)
• 0.5 teaspoon Ground cumin (optional, to season)
• 50 g Grated Parmesan (freshly grated)
• 50 g Mascarpone (at room temperature)
• 2 tablespoons Olive oil (for cooking)
• 1 medium Cucumber (diced or sliced)
• 2 tablespoons Black olive tapenade (for the salad)
• 4 fillets Anchovies in salt (finely chopped)
• 1 teaspoon Lemon juice (fresh)
• 1 tablespoon Fresh parsley (chopped, optional)
• to taste Salt
• to taste Black pepper

Instructions

1. Prepare the vegetables

   Peel the butternut squash, cut into ~1 cm dice. Thinly slice the onion, chop the garlic and cut the cucumber into dice or slices.

   Time: PT5M

2. Sauté aromatics

   Heat 1 c. à soupe olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, sauté 5 minutes until translucent.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: moyen

3. Cook the squash

   Add the squash dice, cumin, salt and pepper. Cover lightly and cook 5 minutes until the squash begins to soften.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: moyen

4. Cook the meat

   Stir in the ground meat, break it up with the wooden spoon and cook 8 minutes until well browned and cooked through.

   Time: PT8M

   Temperature: moyen

5. Mix mascarpone and parmesan

   Remove the pan from heat, add mascarpone and grated parmesan, mix until you get a creamy filling.

   Time: PT2M

6. Prepare the cucumber salad

   In a bowl, combine cucumber, tapenade, chopped anchovies, lemon juice, parsley, salt and pepper. Let rest 5 minutes for flavors to develop.

   Time: PT5M

7. Soften the brick sheets

   Dip each brick sheet in cold water for 10 seconds, then place on a clean kitchen towel.

   Time: PT1M

8. Assemble the bricks

   Place a tablespoon of filling in the centre of each sheet, fold into a triangle or roll and seal the edges with a little water.

   Time: PT5M

9. Fry the bricks

   Heat a drizzle of olive oil in the pan over medium‑high heat. Add the bricks, cook 3‑4 minutes each side until golden and crispy.

   Time: PT6M

   Temperature: moyen‑vif

10. Drain and serve

    Transfer the bricks onto paper towels to remove excess oil, then serve immediately with the cucumber salad.

    Time: PT1M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

450

Protein

27 g

Carbohydrates

21 g

Fat

32 g

Fiber

3 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Brick sheets: phyllo sheets
• Instead of Ground meat (minced steak): ground beef, ground lamb
• Instead of Butternut squash: pumpkin, musquée squash
• Instead of Onion: shallot
• Instead of Garlic cloves: garlic powder
• Instead of Ground cumin: ground coriander
• Instead of Grated Parmesan: pecorino
• Instead of Mascarpone: cream cheese
• Instead of Olive oil: sunflower oil
• Instead of Cucumber: zucchini
• Instead of Black olive tapenade: olive pesto
• Instead of Anchovies in salt: canned sardines
• Instead of Lemon juice: apple cider vinegar
• Instead of Fresh parsley: chives

Equipment Needed

• Chef's knife
• Cutting board
• Frying pan
• Mixing bowl
• Wooden spoon
• Spatula
• Serving plate or dish
• Paper towel
• Shallow dish for soaking the bricks

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Cook the meat until it is no longer pink
• Properly seal the edges of the bricks to avoid filling leaks
• Do not let the brick sheets soak too long in water

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use freshly grated Parmesan for more flavor
• Sprinkle a little sweet paprika on the bricks just before serving for a touch of colour
• Serve with a drizzle of lemon to refresh the palate

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store the filling and the salad separately in airtight containers, up to 2 days maximum.

Freezer: Unfried bricks can be frozen on a tray, then transferred to a freezer bag, up to 1 month.

Room temperature: Do not leave the bricks or salad at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the filling the day before and keep it refrigerated
• Cucumber salad can be made 2 hours ahead
• Bricks can be assembled ahead and fried just before serving