Meat Fatayer

Meat Fatayer

The recipe is sfiha/meat fatayer, with two types of filling: a tomato filling and a yogurt filling. Both use fatty minced meat, onion, pomegranate molasses, seven-spice blend, dried coriander, and black pepper. The dough is made with flour, water, oil, sugar, yeast, and salt; it is rolled out, cut, filled, and baked in a very hot oven until golden.

Savory pastries filled with seasoned meat.

Like small Middle Eastern meat pies.

The filling goes inside dough pieces, then they are baked until golden.

Ingredients

  • half a kilo fatty minced meat
  • 1½ cups (300 g) chopped tomatoes
  • 1 cup (200 g) onion
  • ½ cup pomegranate molasses
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon seven-spice blend
  • 1 tablespoon dried coriander
  • 1 tablespoon black pepper
  • 1 piece bell pepper
  • 1½ cups (300 g) yogurt
  • ¾ cup pomegranate molasses
  • 10 cups (1250 g) flour
  • 500 ml water
  • 1 cup oil
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1½ tablespoons yeast
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • optional pine nuts
  • mentioned as an addition in some regions tahini

Instructions

  1. In the stand mixer, add 500 ml water with part of the cup of oil and 3 tablespoons of sugar.
  2. In the stand mixer, add the flour gradually and knead until a cohesive dough forms.
  3. In the stand mixer, add 1 teaspoon of salt after the dough begins to come together.
  4. In the stand mixer, add the remaining oil at the end and knead until the dough is smooth.
  5. In the dough bowl, brush the surface of the dough with a little oil, then cover it and let it rest for about 15 minutes.
  6. In the seasoning bowl, divide 1 kilo of fatty minced meat into two halves to prepare two types of filling.
  7. In a bowl, mix half a kilo of meat with 1½ cups chopped tomatoes, 1 cup onion, ½ cup pomegranate molasses, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 tablespoon seven-spice blend, 1 tablespoon dried coriander, and 1 tablespoon black pepper; add the bell pepper if desired.
  8. In a colander, drain the tomato filling before using it so that water does not seep out inside the sfiha rounds.
  9. In a bowl, mix the second half of the meat with 1 cup onion, 1½ cups yogurt, ¾ cup pomegranate molasses, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 tablespoon seven-spice blend, 1 tablespoon dried coriander, and 1 tablespoon black pepper.
  10. In a colander, set both fillings aside until their liquids drain and they become more cohesive.
  11. On a floured surface, roll out the dough to a medium thickness, neither too thin nor too thick.
  12. Using a plastic container, cut the dough into rectangular rounds.
  13. On a flour-dusted tray, place the dough rounds and let them rest while preparing the remaining quantity.
  14. On each dough round, place an amount of filling, then spread it with a spoon or by hand, securing the filling so it does not extend beyond the round.
  15. On an oiled baking tray, arrange the filled rounds.
  16. In the preheated oven, bake the sfiha at the highest temperature.
  17. In the oven, place the tray on the lower rack first so the bottom of each round takes on color.
  18. In the oven, move the tray to the top and finish baking from above until the surface turns golden.

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