# Egyptian Roqaq: Baked Pastry Layers with Minced Beef

> Roqaq is made by crisping the pastry sheets with ghee in the oven, layering them with spiced minced beef, pouring over a milk-and-egg mixture, and baking for thirty minutes at 190°C. The top layer must stay dry so it crisps, so the milk mixture never reaches it.

**Egyptian Cuisine · 80 min · 6 servings · 520 kcal per serving**

Roqaq is the Egyptian Eid dish, and its secret is contrast: crisp on top, soft underneath. The common mistake is drowning the whole tray in milk, which turns it into paste.

## Ingredients

- 500 g — roqaq (filo-style) pastry sheets
- 150 g — ghee, melted
- 500 g — minced beef
- 2 medium — onions, chopped
- 2 tbsp — tomato paste
- 1 tsp — mixed spice + cumin + salt
- 2 cups — milk
- 1 cup — beef stock
- 2 بيضات — eggs

## Method

1. **Crisp the pastry** — Spread the pastry sheets on a tray, sprinkle over the melted ghee, and bake at 200°C until golden and crisp. Work in batches.
2. **The meat filling** — Fry the onion, then the mince with the spices and tomato paste until completely dry.
3. **The milk mixture** — Whisk the milk with the stock, eggs and a pinch of salt. This is what softens the lower layers only.
4. **Layering** — In the tray: a layer of broken crisp pastry, a little of the milk mixture, a layer of meat, and repeat. The final pastry layer stays dry with no milk — that's the layer that crisps.
5. **Baking** — Bake at 190°C for thirty minutes until the top is deep golden. Rest for ten minutes before cutting.

## Tips

- Never wet the top layer — that's the rule that separates crisp roqaq from soggy roqaq.
- Crisp the pastry in the oven rather than in oil; it's lighter, cleaner and works better.
- The filling must be completely dry or the tray comes out watery.

## FAQ

### My roqaq came out soft all the way through.
Too much milk mixture, or it reached the top layer. Use less and keep the surface entirely dry.

### Can I prepare it ahead?
Yes — crisp the pastry and make the filling a day before, then assemble and bake an hour before serving.

### Can I make it without meat?
Yes — sweet roqaq with milk is made the same way with syrup instead of a filling, and it's the other well-known version.

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Source: https://hanakoleah.com/en/egyptian-cuisine/egyptian-roqaq-baked-pastry-with-mince-recipe
Edited by: Marwa Mohamed
Last updated: 2026-09-13