Lebanese Fatayer Food

LEBANESE FATAYER

Steps:

• Mix 1/3 cup hot water and yeast together in a small bowl. Let sit for 10 minutes.
• Mix in flour, powdered milk, sugar, olive oil, baking powder, and salt while adding remaining water gradually to make a combined dough. Leave in a warm place to rise for about 1 hour.
• While the dough is rising, prepare the stuffing: Heat olive oil in a pan. Add onion, then add spinach and stir-fry for a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with lemon juice. Set aside to cool.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Take small portions of the risen dough and roll into small, flat circles. Fill each circle with about 1 teaspoon spinach mixture and fold into a triangle as follows: fold one edge of the circle to the middle, then the next, then fold the third edge over the top to shape a triangle. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Brush each piece with egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Place on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

LEBANESE BEEF FATAYER | A MIDDLE EASTERN MEAT PIE

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 350F.
• Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat and cook onions for one minute.
• Add meat and salt and break up into small pieces. Continue to cook over medium heat uncovered until cooked through.
• Add garlic and spices, stir and cook for one more minute. Add catsup and stir well. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Remove pizza dough from packaging and roll out thinly on a floured surface. Use a small 6 inch bowl to make a template into the dough. Cut circles out with a sharp knife. Dust well with flour and stack in a pile for easier assembly.
• In a small bowl add egg and water and whisk with a fork until combined, set aside.
• In each circle add 2-3 Tbs of filling. Brush the edge of the dough with the egg wash and start the fold. Fold two sides about 1/3 of the way, pinching the sides closed as you go. Then take the middle of the remaining side and bring toward the pinched edge making two new seams. Pinch the two new seams closed.
• Place all on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or sprayed with cooking spray.
• Brush all over with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds (white or black).
• Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Turn the baking sheet around half way through cooking.
• Remove from oven and rest for 5 minutes before serving.

FATAYER (LEBANESE MEAT PIES)

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add steak pieces, onions, parsley, salt, and pepper and cook until steak is browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Pat bread dough on a lightly floured surface into 4- to 5-inch rounds. Place about 2 tablespoons meat mixture on each dough round. Fold dough over the mixture to make a triangle. Pinch the edges of the dough together but make sure to leave the very center of the meat pie unsealed so steam can escape while cooking. Set on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough and meat mixture and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Let rise for 10 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake fatayer in the preheated oven until lightly browned, about 25 minutes.

LEBANESE SPINACH PIES (FATAYERS)

Steps:

• Ajeen (dough).
• Sift the flour into a working surface. Mix in salt and sugar. Make a well in the centre.
• Pour olive oil and vegetable oil in the well. Mix the dry ingredients into the liquid.
• Add water gradually. Knead the dough into a ball (if the dough is too stiff add some water).
• Knead the dough on a floured working surface until it is smooth and elastic this can be done in an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, or in a food processor.
• Form the dough into a ball and put into a lightly floured bowl, covered with a damp cloth. Leave in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size- about 6 hours.
• Filling.
• Prepare dough (ajeen). Leave aside and cover for an hour to rise. Make sure dough doubles in volume.
• Filling:
• Remove roots and yellow leaves from spinach. Chop finely then wash well and drain, rub with ½ tspn salt. Drain spinach again with your hands to dry.
• Mash the onions with remaining salt. Add pepper and sumac. Add spinach to onion, then mix in oil and pomegranate. Put aside.
• Roll out dough using a rolling pin till dough is as thin as possible (5 mm). Invert a tea cup on dough and press to have equal circles.
• Place a tbls of spinach filling on each piece. Bring up sides at 3 points to form a triangular shape.
• Press edges firmly with fingertips to seal completely (put flour on finger tips tohelp seal).
• Place pies on oiled baking sheets. Bake in a moderately hot oven (200° C) for 30 minutes.