Fatayer Recipe

5 from 1 vote

This fatayer recipe is made with homemade dough and two fillings: cheese with herbs and spinach with ground beef. Shape them into triangles or boats and bake until golden.

Prep Time40

Cook Time20

Total Time1

Course: Appetizer, Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine: Lebanese, Middle Eastern

Diet: Low Lactose

Servings: pieces

Calories: 260kcal

Author: Ayla Clulee

Ingredients

For the Dough

1 cup water (230 ml)
1 ½ teaspoon sugar
1 ½ teaspoon salt
¼ oz yeast (1 pack)
3 tbsps olive oil (50 ml)
3 ¼ cups plain white flour / all purpose flour (400 grams)
1 egg yolk (for egg wash)

For the Cheese Filling

½ cup feta cheese (50 grams)
1 ¾ oz labneh (50 grams)
1 cup kasar cheese, mozzarella or cheddar cheese (100 grams)
¼ teaspoon Aleppo pepper
½ cup chopped parsley and dill

For the Spinach Filling

5 ¼ oz ground beef (150 grams)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion (diced)
1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon paprika
7 oz baby spinach (200 grams)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare the Dough

In a large bowl, mix the flour, salt, sugar, olive oil, and dried yeast. Add the warm water and stir until a dough forms.
Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for about 5 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
Place the dough back in the bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Leave to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Prepare the fillings while the dough is rising.

Prepare the Cheese Filling

Crumble the feta cheese and grate the kasar cheese.
Wash, dry, and finely chop the parsley and dill.
Mix the feta, labneh, kasar cheese, Aleppo pepper, parsley, and dill in a bowl. Keep in the fridge until needed.

Prepare the Spinach Filling

Heat a large pan over medium heat and add the ground beef or ground lamb.
Cook until browned, breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon.
Add olive oil if the pan looks dry, then stir in the onion and garlic. Cook until the onion softens.
Add the salt, black pepper, and paprika, then stir for another minute.
Add the spinach and cook until wilted and any liquid in the pan evaporates.
Remove from the heat and let the filling cool before using.

Shape the Fatayer

Once the dough has doubled in size, divide it into 12 equal pieces.
Shape them into balls, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let them rest for 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 390°F 200°C. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
For boat-shaped fatayer, take one dough ball and roll it into a small oval, about 6 inches(15 cm) long.
Place 1 ½ tablespoons of filling in the center, leaving a small border around the edges.
Fold the long left side of the dough slightly over the filling, then fold the long right side over in the same way. Leave the middle of the filling visible.
Pinch both ends firmly to seal and create a boat shape.
Place the shaped fatayer on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough balls and filling.
For triangle fatayer, take one dough ball and roll it into a thin circle, about 6 inches (15 cm) wide. Place 1 ½ tablespoons of filling in the center.
Lift the left and right sides of the dough and bring them together above the filling.
Pinch the two sides together from the top down toward the center, leaving the bottom side open.
Lift the bottom side of the dough up toward the center to form a triangle. Pinch all three seams firmly to seal the filling inside. Make sure the corners are closed well so the filling does not leak while baking.
Place the triangle fatayer on the prepared baking sheet, seam side up. Repeat with the remaining dough balls and filling.

Bake the Fatayer

Mix the egg yolk with a small splash of water. Brush the tops of the shaped fatayer lightly with the egg wash.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Let them cool for a few minutes before serving.

Video

Notes

The dough should feel soft, smooth, and elastic after kneading. Add only a little extra flour when rolling, as too much flour can make the fatayer dry.
Proofing time depends on your kitchen temperature. The dough is ready when it has doubled in size.
Let the dough balls rest for 15 minutes before rolling so they are easier to shape.
Use ground beef or ground lamb with at least 15% fat for a juicier spinach filling. If the meat is very lean, add a little olive oil while cooking the onion and garlic.
Cool the filling before shaping the fatayer. Warm filling makes the dough soft and harder to seal.
Cook the spinach filling until the liquid evaporates. Wet filling can make the pastry soggy and cause the edges to open.
Do not overfill the fatayer. About 1 ½ tablespoons of filling is enough for each piece.
Pinch the edges firmly, especially for triangle shaped fatayer.
Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition