Recipe: Appetizing Fatayer

Fatayer. It is part of Lebanese cuisine and is eaten in Iraq, Iran, Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, Kuwait and Israel. In Argentina, fatayer are also popular as a variety of empanada, called empanada árabe. Fatayer are Middle-Eastern savory pies that can be stuffed with a variety of stuffings, most popular being spinach or meat.

Fatayer are small savoury Middle Eastern pies that can be filled with mince meat or spinach. This recipe is with a spinach and goats cheese filing. Be the first to make this! You can have Fatayer using 23 ingredients and 47 steps. Here is how you achieve it.

Ingredients of Fatayer

1. Prepare 4 cups of All Purpose Flour.
2. Prepare 1 teaspoon of dry yeast.
3. It's 2 teaspoon of sugar.
4. It's 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
5. Prepare 2 teaspoon of soft butter.
6. It's 1 cup of Warm water.
7. Prepare 1 teaspoon of oil (to rub the dough).
8. You need 2 teaspoon of milk to brush the fatayer.
9. It's of For stuffing.
10. You need 1 cup of minced lamb.
11. You need 1 cup of blanched and chopped spinach.
12. Prepare 1/2 cup of mozzarella.
13. Prepare 2 tablespoon of tomato paste.
14. Prepare 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil.
15. You need 1 of big minced onion.
16. It's 1 teaspoon of ginger-garlic paste.
17. It's 1 of bay leave.
18. You need 1 inch of long cinnamon.
19. It's 4-5 of black pepper corns.
20. You need 1 teaspoon of chilli powder.
21. Prepare 1/2 teaspoon of mix spice /garam masala.
22. Prepare to taste of Salt.
23. It's 1 teaspoon of oregano or thyme.

Fatayer (or fitiir) is a traditional Lebanese mezze that consists of a spinach stuffed turnover, also popular in Turkey and Middle Eastern countries. It is eaten in countries like Iraq, Jordan, Syria, Egypt, Lebanon and Palestine. Fatayer more than a dish Fatayer in Arabic language means Pie. Fatayer are turnover-like pastries that have their origins in the countries of the Levant.

Fatayer instructions

1. Mix a cup warm water with 1 teaspoon of yeast and 2 teaspoon sugar. Keep aside to broom..
2. In a big mixing bowl add flour, salt and soft butter..
3. Mix nicely to combine..
4. In the meantime the yeast has activated well..
5. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and add the yeast mixture..
6. With the help of a spatula slowly incorporate the flour with the yeast mixture..
7. Mix well till well combine..
8. Now with the help of your hand knead the mixture by adding 2-3 tablespoon of water..
9. Knead well to form a soft elastic dough..
10. Rub little oil to the dough..
11. Cover and keep aside for an hour or till dough becomes double in size..
12. In the meantime make the stuffing..
13. Heat a pan with vegetable oil. Add bay leave, cinnamon stick and black pepper..
14. Saute for few seconds and then add minced onion..
15. Saute for 2-3 minutes..
16. Add ginger-garlic paste and saute for a minute..
17. Add tomato paste..
18. Mix well and cook for one more minute..
19. Add the minced meat and mix well..
20. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, salt, oregano and mix spices..
21. Mix well to combine..
22. Fry for 2-3 minutes and then add 1 cup of hot water..
23. Cover and cook in medium heat until the meat cooks completely. It will take about 10-15 minutes..
24. When meat cooks completely, add the chopped spinach..
25. Mix well to incorporate. Cook for another 5 minutes without lid..
26. Before removing check the seasoning, add salt if necessary and transfer to a bowl..
27. Stuffing is almost ready. Come to the dough.It is double in size now..
28. Punch the dough..
29. Dust a work surface with flour and transfer the dough in the work place. Divide into 3 portions..
30. Take one portion and roll it with a rolling pin to form a big thin circle..
31. With the help of a cookies cutter, cut the circle into smalldisks..
32. Take the stuffing, add 1/2 cup of mozzarella..
33. Mix well..
34. Take 1 teaspoon of prepared stuffing and scoop in the centre of each disks..
35. Now fold the disk to give the fatayer shape. Check the picture below. This is the first fold..
36. 2nd fold is shown below..
37. Now press the edges to form a nice shape..
38. Like this form all the pastries. You can make approximately 40 small fatayer..
39. Following is another shape I made..
40. Pre heat oven at 200 degree Centigrade for 10 minutes..
41. Line a baking tray with aluminum foil or baking sheet..
42. Place the prepared fatayer in the tray..
43. Brush each fatayer with little milk..
44. Bake them for about 18-20 minutes or till light golden brown..
45. I baked them for 18 minutes..
46. Take out from oven and keep aside for 5 minutes to cool..
47. Afte 5 minutes transfer to serving dish and serve with some tomato ketchup..

Several fillings are associated with fatayer, most are baked but some types are deep fried. This recipe filling is for Middle Eastern spinach fatayer. The fatayer consists of a filling wrapped in dough and baked in the oven. The most common are meat fillings with lamb or beef known as Sfeeha or a spinach filling called Sabanekh. You can make cheese fatayer also.