Idlib-Style Shaibiat

Ingredients

• 5 cups 500 g Flour
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• a pinch Baking soda
• 1 1/2 cups 300 ml Water
• 1 tbsp Ghee
• 1 tbsp Syrup
• 200 g Butter
• 5 tbsp Animal ghee for the top
• 300 g Arisheh cheese
• 400 g Ashta
• 3 cups Sugar
• 1 cup Water for the syrup
• 1 Lemon slice
• for greasing Vegetable oil
• for covering Plastic wrap
• for rolling out Rolling pin
• for arranging Pyrex baking dish

Instructions

1. In a pot, heat the water until warm.
2. In a bowl, mix the flour with the salt and baking soda.
3. In the bowl, add the warm water to the dry mixture.
4. In the bowl, add the ghee and syrup to the dough.
5. In a bowl or on the work surface, knead the dough well until smooth.
6. On the work surface, grease the surface with vegetable oil once the dough is smooth.
7. On the work surface, divide the dough into equal pieces.
8. In a bowl or over the dough, cover the pieces with plastic and let them rest.
9. In the oven or a cool place, let the dough rest for 15 minutes to 30 minutes, or up to 1 hour.
10. On the work surface, roll each piece with a rolling pin, pulling and stretching it until thin.
11. On the work surface, spread the dough with room-temperature butter.
12. On the work surface, fold the dough and repeat the arrangement to create layers of dough and butter.
13. In a Pyrex baking dish or baking tray, stack the folded pieces on top of one another.
14. In a Pyrex baking dish or baking tray, cover the pieces with plastic wrap or plastic and refrigerate for about 1 hour.
15. In a bowl, mix the arisheh cheese with the ashta for the filling.
16. On the work surface, shape each piece into a circle, then place the filling in the center.
17. On the work surface, seal each piece tightly to secure the filling inside.
18. In a baking tray greased with ghee, arrange the filled pieces.
19. On top, brush the pieces with animal ghee.
20. In the oven, bake the shaibiat at 170-180°C from the bottom first, until they take on color underneath.
21. In the oven, move them to the middle or upper rack and turn on the top heat with the fan until cooked through and browned.
22. In a pot, prepare the syrup from the sugar, water, and lemon slice.
23. Pour the syrup over the shaibiat while they are hot.