Lebanese Spinach Pies (Fatayers)
A pie of spinach and thickened pomegranate juice, scented with sumac and baked in the oven.
1 hr 10 min · Serves 6 · Medium
Ingredients
Method
Start cooking mode- Prep 40 min · Cook 30 min · 70 min total
- medium
- 1
Ajeen (dough). Sift the flour into a working surface. Mix in salt and sugar. Make a well in the centre.
- 2
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).
- 3
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.
- 4
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.
- 5
Filling. Prepare dough (ajeen). Leave aside and cover for an hour to rise. Make sure dough doubles in volume.
- 6
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.
- 7
Mash the onions with remaining salt. Add pepper and sumac. Add spinach to onion, then mix in oil and pomegranate. Put aside.
- 8
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.
- 9
Place a tbls of spinach filling on each piece. Bring up sides at 3 points to form a triangular shape.
- 10
Press edges firmly with fingertips to seal completely (put flour on finger tips tohelp seal).
- 11
Place pies on oiled baking sheets. Bake in a moderately hot oven (200° C) for 30 minutes.
Notes and swaps
- Not assessed yet. Check each ingredient if you have an allergy.
