Spicy Cigars

Method

• step 1

  Preheat the oven to 190c/Gas Mark 5. Make the spicy paste: heat the oil in a frying pan with alid. Add the chopped onion and cook covered over a low heat for 5-7 minutes until softened and golden. Add the remaining paste ingredients and season well with black pepper. Turn up the heat and fry for a further 30 seconds. Transfer to a blenderor small food processor with 2 tbsp of cold water and whizz until smooth. Set aside. In a bowl, mix together the sausagemeat and apricots.

• step 2

  Lay 1 filo sheet on a work surface, top with another filo sheet and cut into 8 rectangles, 10 x 15cm. Spread each rectangle with 1/2 tsp of spicy paste.

• step 3

  Take a heaped tsp of the sausage and apricot mixture and shape it into a very thin sausage. Lay the thin sausage across the bottom shortest edge of the rectangle, then carefully roll up in the pastry. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with baking paper.

• step 4

  Repeat with the remaining ingredients to give you 32 cigars.

• step 5

  Brush the cigars with beaten egg.

• step 6

  Sprinkle with Sesame seeds. Bake for 15-18 minutes until the pastry is golden and crispy. Sprinkle with a little paprika 2 minutes before the end of the cooking time. Serve warm or cold with amint raita dip.