Egyptian Style Spinach Sabanek Food

SPINACH TRIANGLES (FATAYER SABANEGH)

Steps:

• Place the chopped spinach in a bowl with a pinch of salt, and stir the spinach and salt for about 1 minute until the spinach begins to wilt and release its juice.
• In a separate bowl, combine the chopped onion with a pinch of salt, and stir for about 1 minute to wilt the onion. Add the wilted spinach, olive oil, sumac, pine nuts, lemon juice, and pepper, and stir to combine. Let the stuffing mixture rest for 5 minutes, and then drain off the liquid.
• Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat, and set aside.
• Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Place a phyllo sheet onto a flat surface, and brush it lightly with melted butter. Place a second sheet on top of the first sheet, and brush with melted butter. Cut each stack of 2 buttered sheets into 5 strips about 3 1/2 inches wide by 13 inches long. Cover strips waiting to be filled with a damp cloth while you fill and roll the triangles.
• To fold a triangle, place a tablespoon of filling centered at the top end of a phyllo dough strip, and fold the right corner across and down, to make a pointed, filled dough pocket at the top of the strip. Fold the pocket down one more turn, like folding a flag, to make a triangle shape. Continue to fold the triangle down and across the dough strip until you reach the end of the strip and you have a compact, filled triangle of dough. Repeat with the remaining filling and phyllo dough.
• Place the filled triangles onto the prepared baking sheets, and brush them with butter. Working in batches if necessary, bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes per batch, until the triangles are golden brown.

EGYPTIAN SPINACH PIE WITH HAZELNUT DUKKAH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• For the hazelnut dukkah: Toast the hazelnuts in the oven for 12 minutes. Let cool. Raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees F.
• Meanwhile, toast the coriander and cumin seeds in a saute pan over medium heat, about 1 minute.
• Grind the coriander, cumin and hazelnuts in a spice grinder. Mix with the sesame seeds.
• For the spinach pie: In a large skillet, saute the garlic and shallots in the butter over medium heat until softened. Add the spinach and cook until wilted. Add the dill, nutmeg and some salt and pepper. Let cool slightly, then stir in the Cheddar and mozzarella.
• Lay one sheet of puff pastry in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Spread with the spinach stuffing. Lay the other sheet on top, pinch the edges closed, and cut into six pieces. Sprinkle with dukkah and brush the edges with egg wash. Set the baking dish on a baking sheet and bake until the pie is golden brown, about 30 minutes.
• Sprinkle with the sumac and serve.

EGYPTIAN SPINACH SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and saute the onion until soft.
• Add the turmeric and cook a further minute to let the spice warm through.
• Add the stock, scallions, rice, salt and pepper.
• Simmer gently for approximately 15 minutes until the rice is cooked.
• Do not overcook.
• Cut the spinach into chiffonade, add to pan and cook for another five minutes.
• To serve hot: Beat yogurt and garlic into the soup, and reheat gently so the yogurt does not curdle.
• To serve cold: Allow soup to cool, add yogurt and garlic and puree.
• NOTE: 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Madras curry powder can be substituted for the turmeric, depending on how fragrant you want your soup to be.

EGYPTIAN STYLE SPINACH (SABANEK)

Steps:

• Wash spinach well and cut into small sized strips. I usually take a few leaves, and slice together into strips, leave the stem, not problem. (This does not have to perfect, you just want to get them into longer, smaller strips.) Set aside.
• Boil stew meat in water with the two sliced onion and two bouillon cubes. Cook until tender approximately 2 hours.
• Strain out meat and pour broth into a large bowl.
• In that same pot used for cooking meat, add chopped onion, garlic and butter and sauté until soft.
• Add tomato paste, all spices, and stir around until well coated.
• Add pureed tomatoes, ½ cup water and approximately 2-3 cups of broth. (You can add or decrease broth, depending on how thick you'd like it to be, check while cooking and add more or less broth. End result should be thick, but watery enough to be like a thick sauce -- hope that makes sense.).
• Bring to a boil, add spinach and simmer for 20- 30 minutes on low heat.
• Serve in bowls next to plates of rice and browned fideo noodles or with pita bread for scooping.

EGYPTIAN MOLOKHEYA (GREEN SPINACH-LIKE SOUP)

Steps:

• Fill large stock pot with water, bring to a boil, add add sliced onions, carrot and celery. Add 2 chicken bouillon cubes and whole chicken or hen, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Cover and cook until chicken tender approximately 1-2 hours.
• Skim fats from water, strain out vegetables, remove chicken and reserve about 4 cups of the broth in pot.
• While broth is simmering on real low, add bag of molokheya and a teaspoon of ground coriander, salt & pepper and a dash of cumin to the broth. (Easy way to get bag into pot: I've found by just snipping top of plastic bag, then holding over hot pot, and sliding the molokheya into the pot, the steam helps it slide out easy) DO NOT COVER.
• Add the chopped tomato and onion into the pot, just a little, as stated, 1 slice tomato, 1 slice onion, both chopped.
• Preparing the "tasha" (this is what makes the molokheya famous & tasty too): Put 2 tablespoons oil into small frying pan.
• Add crushed garlic, stir until a golden brown, add teaspoon ground coriander and the few smashed coriander seeds, stir until all dry and formed together.
• Drop this into pot of molokheya while hot, you should hear a "tsshhh" sound, if so you did it- congratulations!
• Continue cooking on low heat for approximately 10 minutes, its ready to serve.
• To serve: Brown the chicken in a pan full of melted butter and serve with white steamed rice with lightly fried vermicelli pieces. (I will post recipe for this simple, yet delicious rice).
• Spoon the molokheya into bowls and let your guests spoon onto rice or dip their warm pita breads into their bowls!
• *** Sometimes I prepare a red sauce to spoon into each individual bowl, or serve next to the molokheya bowls- its tangy and a good complement to this dish. Just take 3 slices onions, brown in butter, add two tablespoons of tomato paste, salt & pepper, a dash of cumin, add some red chili sauce (shaata) and water, cook for 20 minutes, tastes should be tangy, not too thick, with a bit of tanginess and heat.***.

EGYPTIAN SPINACH STEW

Steps:

• Soak hummus in hot water for 30 minutes.
• in a pot heat 1 tbsp crisco, add onion, allspice, salt and pepper, sautÉ till translucent. stir in ground beef continue cook until meat is browned. drain hummus and add to pot, stir.
• cook for 2 minutes on medium then add 1/2 cup water. cook for approx another 10 minutes till hummus has softened a bit. add more water if needed.
• add tomato sauce cover and simmer for about 30 minutes till hummus is cooked. add spinach continue to simmer.
• in a separate pan add reserved tbsp crisco, garlic, cilantro a pinch more salt and pepper cook on medium till fragrant and garlic is just pink. add to the spinach mixture and more water just to cover, continue cooking on medium low for another 10 minutes.
• serve over rice.
• www.food4memories.com.

FATAYER BI SABANEKH (LEBANESE SPINACH PIES)

Steps:

• In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the lukewarm water. Stir to combine, then let sit until frothy, about 10 minutes.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Gradually stir in the oil, followed by the yeast with water until dough comes together.
• On a lightly greased surface, knead until smooth and elastic. Place in large bowl, cover, and let rest until doubled, 1-2 hours.
• Rinse the spinach and dry well to remove any moisture. Chop, place in a bowl, and toss with the 1 teaspoon salt.
• Using your hands, massage the salt into the spinach to coat thoroughly. Set aside for 10 minutes.
• Squeeze excess moisture out of the finely chopped onion and place in a large bowl. Add the sumac, paprika, and black pepper.
• Squeeze the rested spinach well to remove as much moisture as possible and place in the bowl with the onions. Toss to coat with the onions and spices.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, and pomegranate molasses. Pour over the spinach mixture and toss to coat immediately before assembling. Adjust spices to taste.
• Preheat oven to 375˚F (190˚C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or lightly grease.
• Divide the rested dough in half, covering one half with a towel. On a large, lightly floured surface, roll half of the dough into a thin sheet about 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick. Use a 3 1/2 inch (9 cm) wide round cutter to cut out circles of dough.
• Place about 1 tablespoon of the filling in the center of each circle, being careful to not let it touch the edges. Top with a sprinkling of toasted pine nuts. Pull up three edges of the circle over the center of the filling and pinch well to seal. Place on prepared baking sheet and repeat with remaining circles and the other half of dough.
• Brush the tops of the assembled Fatayer with olive oil and bake in the preheated oven until golden, 15-20 minutes.
• Serve warm from the oven or at room temperature.

EGYPTIAN STYLE BAKED FISH (SANEYA SEMAAK)

Steps:

• Spray a glass baking dish with a bit of non-stick cooking spray, or rub lightly with Olive Oil.
• Wash the fish well.
• Slice the fish into medium size slices. Not too thick or thin, up to you.
• Lay the fish slices in baking dish.
• Sprinkle generously with cumin, salt, pepper, old bay spice and add a bit of garlic, keep the rest for top later. Squeeze the juice of lemon over this.
• Take remaining garlic, jalapeno, celery leaves and cilantro, add a half teaspoon of cumin and pound into a paste (using a mortar pestle or even a quick spin in food processor), does not have to be totally paste, but put together and blend well, spread this over fish. (You can squeeze lemon juice into this to make easier to blend).
• Add all chopped vegetables, peppers, onions.
• Squeeze the juice of orange into baking dish, top with pats of butter. You may add a bit more seasoning to top if you like.
• Cover with foil and bake in oven at 350 degrees for approximately 45 minutes.
• Towards end of baking, you may uncover if you want to lessen juices or to brown, but just as good with juices, great over brown fish rice with onion. (see my recipes).
• ***LEFTOVER TIP*** If you make this dish and you have leftovers, the next day slice an onion, sauté it in butter, chop a small tomato, add to the onion and cook until a bit smooth, add leftover fish dish, and a few pats of butter...this way is even better than when made fresh the first time, it was for me anyway... ENJOY!