• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Storied Recipe logo
  • Episodes
  • Recipes
  • Prints Shop
  • About
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Episodes
  • Recipes
  • Prints Shop
  • About
  • Contact
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Episodes
  • Recipes
  • Prints Shop
  • About
  • Contact
×
Home » Storied Recipes

Cheese Fatayer Pies (+ Spinach & Meat Fillings)

Last Modified: Apr 19, 2025 · This post may contain affiliate links

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

Welcome to The Storied Recipe Podcast, a podcast about food, culture, and love. 

This recipe for Cheese or Spinach Fatayer came from my podcast guest (and my husband!), John Hadeed. Make sure you listen to his episode Arabic Feasts With My Husband, John Hadeed while you make these homemade Cheese Fatayer (Spinach and Meat fillings below as well), Arabic Triangle Pies!

closeup of gorgeous golden baked lebanese cheese fatayer stacked high on cutting board

The first time I met my husband's large Palestinian family, it was for a feast. The next time - another feast! And then, the third time - well, you get the idea. At first, confronted with a table of unfamiliar foods, I wasn't sure what to try! I quickly realized I liked ALL of it. My favorite was the tabbouleh. My husband's favorite has always been the Fatayer.

Top Tip

In addition to the cheese filling, you can also make meat or spinach pies. I've included all 3 filling recipes, from the old family cookbook his family gifted me at my bridal shower.

John's family made the spinach fatayer in triangle shapes and the meat fatayer as open faced pies. Ironically, they didn't make the cheese fatayer, although those are now my favorites!

3 types of fatayer - silver tray of open faced meat fatayer, woven tray of triangle spinach fatayer, and wooden cutting board of stacked cheese fatayer shaped like boats with lots of lemons, parsley, bowls of filling arranged on a white marble backdrop

Ingredients & Substitutions

Below is a simple dough recipe for homemade Fatayer dough, and three different Fatayer filling options to choose from: cheese, meat, and spinach

Dough

  • All Purpose Flour, Salt, and Sugar, and Water
  • Butter - or shortening
  • Dry Yeast - comes in two forms, instant dry yeast, and active dry yeast; instant yeast means that you will not have to activate it before using it, you can simply use it right away. On the other hand, active yeast means you will need to activate it like dissolving it in warm water (it could also tell you to add sugar for the yeast to feed off of)
  • Mahlab - black cherry kernels (optional)

If you have leftover Fatyer dough, this works well as a pizza dough, too! I love a two-and-one!

closeup of fatayer cheese filling including feta, parsley, and chopped onions.

Cheese Filling

  • Syrian cheese - This is a type of cheese that is a cross between mozzarella cheese, feta, and halloumi. If you can't find this, you can substitute it with Feta cheese crumbs, Ackawi cheese (or Akkawi Cheese, traditional Arabic cheese), or another salty cheese of your choice
  • Parsley, Onion, Salt, and Pepper
horizontal layflat of parsley, lemons, rolled out fatayer dough, and balls resting to be filled with meat, spinach, or cheese filling

Meat Filling

  • Lamb Meat - coarsely ground, can be substituted with ground beef 
  • Lemon Juice - can be substituted with vinegar
  • Onion, Pine Nuts, Salt, Pepper, Allspice, and Butter

Spinach Filling

  • Spinach, Lemon Juice, Oil, Sumac, Onions, Salt and Pepper
boy with dark hands and soft grey apron roll out fatayer dough for cheese pies

Instructions

Dough

  • Dissolve yeast in water and sugar. (only if using active yeast). Cover and let rise.
  • In a large bowl mix flour and salt.
  • Add the yeast and butter.
  • Gradually add the lukewarm water; mixing until dough is smooth.
  • Cover with a clean towel and put in a warm place until dough rises.
  • Divide dough into pieces 2″ or 2.5″ in diameter. Form into balls by tucking the dough underneath the balls to make them round and smooth. Let rest for 30 minutes between blankets.

Cheese Stuffing

  • Mix all ingredients together. Use to stuff dough.

Meat Stuffing

  • Saute onions in butter until tender. Add meat and spices. Saute until tender. Add browned pine nuts and lemon or vinegar.

Spinach Stuffing

  • Wash and chop the spinach. Sprinkle with salt. Let stand for 15 minutes, then squeeze out the extra moisture.
  • Mix with the rest of the ingredients and set aside.
overhead shot of hand pinching closed 3 different types of fatayer - meat, spinach, and cheese. Scene includes risen balls of fatayer dough in corner and garnishes of lemon and parsley.

Make the Pies

  • Pinch a 2.5″ piece of dough and roll out to 4″ circles.
  • Put a heaping tablespoon of cheese mixture (or spinach/meat) on each circle.
  • Fold up from the bottom to the middle and bring sides to center to form triangle. Press down seams firmly and pinch ends together.
  • Grease pan (can also line with parchment paper). Place pies on the prepared baking sheet and brush tops with olive oil.
  • Bake in a preheated oven 400°F / 204°C degree oven until pies are a beautiful golden color.
balls of fresh fatayer dough on parchment covered baking sheet. Surrounded by parsley, lemons, and feta cheese for filling

More on Lebanese Fatayer

Would you like to know more about Fatayer? A friend of mine is an expert! Cosette Posko is the daughter of two Lebanese immigrants. Her father is a professional cook of Lebanese food and is known as “the pie man” because of his expertise in making these very pies! Cosette is a food blogger over at Cosette’s Kitchen and has online cooking classes that are available to all. (P.S. This is NOT a paid advertisement! I simply believe in what Cosette's doing and want to support her work!)

Working With Yeast Dough

Though there are only three dry ingredients and it looks simple enough to make this authentic Fatayer dough (and it is!) the most important thing to look out for is that your yeast is incorporated the right way. 

Instant vs Active Yeast

  • In the Ingredients section above, I have already mentioned the difference between instant and active yeast (active means it needs to be activated with warm liquids and sometimes fed sugar while instant means you can use it without any preparation) so many sure to look at that

Don't Kill Your Yeast!

  • The temperature of the activating water or liquids should not exceed 115°F (46°C)

Test Your (Active) Yeast

  • Active yeast can be very temperamental. Even if you bought a package and used it the next day, it might have died even if the expiration date had not come to pass. 
  • In order to avoid using dead, active yeast, you can test the yeast before using it in your homemade dough so your Fatayer dough isn't flat.
  • Simply add a 1/4 cup warm water and a sprinkle of sugar (just like in the instructions) in a bowl with your yeast and if after about 10 minutes it is bubbling, you know that your yeast is alive and ready to use.

source: Serious Eats

Equipment List

  • Mixing bowl
  • Skillet
  • Baking sheet

Storage

Store in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.

More Middle Eastern Recipes

  • Lebanese safiha in square shape with fresh ground lamb, diced tomatoes and green pepper piled on a plate
    Safiha Recipe - Lebanese Meat Pies
  • bowl of pakistani korma garnished with parsley and almond and surrounded by whole spices used in cooking
    Best EASY Authentic Pakistani Chicken Korma Recipe
  • small shortbread pecan date bars cut exactly the size of the pecans nestled into each. lined up on brown butcher paper
    Pecan Pie Shortbread Crust Bars Without Corn Syrup

Listen to John's Episode Now

Follow The Storied Recipe in Your Favorite Player

Apple PodcastsSpotify
Print

Recipe

clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
thumbnail of lebanese cheese fatayer on wooden cutting board

Cheese Fatayer (Or Spinach): Arabic Triangle Pies


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 2 reviews

  • Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
  • Yield: 50 servings 1x
Print Recipe

Description

This recipe came from an authentic family cookbook that my husband's Palestinian family gifted me with when we got married.. Begin with the classic fatayer dough, then fill with cheese, meat, or spinach fillings.


Ingredients

Units Scale

Dough

  • 2 lbs Flour
  • 2 tbsp Butter or shortening (*See Note 1)
  • 1 envelope Dry yeast (*See Note 2)
  • 1 tbsp Salt
  • 2 cups lukewarm Water (approx)
  • 1/2 tsp Mahlab (black cherry kernels; optional)
  • 1/2 tsp Sugar

Cheese Stuffing

  • 2 cups chopped Syrian cheese or feta crumbs (*See Note 3)
  • 1 cup parsley ( finely chopped)
  • 1 onion (finely chopped)
  • Salt and black pepper (to taste)

Meat Stuffing

  • 2 lbs lamb meat (coarsely ground, I used ground beef)
  • 1 large onion (finely chopped)
  • 1/2 cup pine nuts (lightly browned)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper and allspice
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice (or vinegar)
  • 1/4 cup Butter (or margarine)

Spinach Stuffing

  • 2 lbs spinach
  • 2 large onions (chopped)
  • 2 lemons (juice of 2 lemons)
  • 3/4 c oil
  • 1/2 tsp sumac
  • Salt and black pepper (to taste)


Instructions

Cue Up The Episode!

  1. Make sure to listen to John on The Storied Recipe Podcast, "Arabic Feasts with My Husband, John Hadeed" while you make this Fatayer recipe!

Dough

  1. Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup of warm water. Sprinkle with sugar. Cover and let rise. This step is only if you are using active yeast.
  2. In a large bowl, mix together flour and salt.
  3. Add the yeast mixture and butter (or shortening).
  4. Gradually add in lukewarm water, mixing and kneading until the dough is smooth and soft.
  5. Cover with a clean towel and put in a warm place for 2 hours or until the dough rises.
  6. When it has risen, divide the dough into pieces 2″ or 2.5″ in diameter. Form into balls by tucking the dough underneath itself to make them round and smooth. Let rest for 30 minutes under the towel.

Cheese Stuffing

  1. Mix all ingredients together.

Meat Stuffing

  1. Saute onions in butter until tender. Add meat and spices. Saute until tender. Add browned pine nuts and lemon or vinegar. Let cool before stuffing the dough.

Spinach Stuffing

  1. Wash and chop the spinach and sprinkle with salt. Let it sit for 15 minutes, then squeeze out the extra moisture. Mix with all the ingredients and set aside.

Make the Pies

  1. Take a ball of dough and roll it into 4″ flattened circles.
  2. Put a heaping tablespoon of filling on each circle.
  3. Fold the dough from the bottom to the middle and bring the sides to the center to form a triangle. Press down the seams firmly (it will make a ridge) and pinch the ends together.
  4. Place the pies on a prepared baking sheet and brush the tops with olive oil.
  5. Bake in a preheated 400°F / 204°C degree oven until pies are golden brown (20 minutes for a crunchy exterior; less for a soft exterior)

Notes

  • Note 1: Can substitute with shortening
  • Note 2: Yeast comes in two forms, instant dry yeast, and active dry yeast; instant yeast means that you will not have to activate it before using it, you can simply use it right away. On the other hand, active yeast means you will need to activate it by dissolving it in warm water (it could also tell you to add sugar for the yeast to feed off of).
  • Note 3: This is a type of cheese that is a cross between mozzarella cheese, feta, and halloumi. If you can't find this, you can substitute it with Feta cheese crumbs, Ackawi cheese (or Akkawi Cheese, traditional Arabic cheese) or another salty cheese of your choice
  • Make sure to listen to John on The Storied Recipe Podcast, "Arabic Feasts with My Husband, John Hadeed" while you make his Fatayer recipe!
  • Prep Time: 2 hours
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Category: Baking, Breads
  • Cuisine: Middle Eastern, Palestinian

Nutrition

  • Calories: 196
  • Sugar: 1
  • Sodium: 289
  • Fat: 12
  • Saturated Fat: 4
  • Carbohydrates: 17
  • Fiber: 1
  • Protein: 7
  • Cholesterol: 21

There's a story behind this recipe!

Tune in to The Storied Recipe Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to hear more!

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn

Before You Go... Try One of These?

More Storied Recipes

  • French Fish Soup with Aioli and Fresh Vegetables
  • thumbnail overhead shot of ginger mandarin no bake layered dessert. garnished with sliced oranges, crushed gingersnaps, citrus peels, and fresh mint leaves.
    3 Ingredient No Bake Mandarin Ginger Pie Dessert
  • Palačinke: Balkan "Not Quite Crepes" with Feta or Sugar
  • closeup shot of a perfectly cooked venison burger with caramelized onions peeking out under the golden bun with sesame seeds
    Ultimate Venison Burgers with Mushrooms and Onions

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Would love to hear from you! Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

  1. Kory says

    May 06, 2024 at 11:19 am

    Looks amazing! Going to try making these. Can you share what the side dishes, salads and extras are in the pictures of your fatayer? You mentioned tabbouleh, but I’d love to know what else to make with them.

    Reply
    • admin says

      May 06, 2024 at 9:04 pm

      Thanks for leaving a comment!
      I also made tabbouleh, meat pies (Sfeeha), and a rice with vermicelli dish. 
      If you're looking for more ideas  - My favorite Palestinian cookbook is The Palestinian Table by Reem Kassis! The Arabic potato salad in there is just the best - I get compliments and requests for the recipe every time I make it!!!

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

dark and moody photo of Becky Hadeed kneading arepas dough

Welcome, Friend!

I’m Becky Hadeed, a mother to 4, curious home cook, lover of extraordinary light, and host of The Storied Recipe Podcast. I consider it a great honor that my guests entrust me with their stories and allow me photograph and share their most treasured family recipes.

More About Me ->

Most Popular Recipes

  • two slices of chewy golden nian gao on pink plate
    Baked Nian Gao: Glutinous Rice Cake (with Sticky Rice Flour)
  • hand holds flaky spiraled roti paratha (aka roti canai in malaysia) above lush green foliage.
    How to Make Flaky Roti Paratha (Malaysian Roti Canai)
  • pollo frito puerto rican fried chicken with no flour in basket lined with red checked napkin
    Pollo Frito: Puerto Rican Fried Chicken (Without Flour)
  • delicate white dish holds fish cooked in tomato sauce, topped with gently caramelized onons, dill and parsley
    Ukrainian Red Fish in Tomato Sauce

Follow in Your Favorite Player

Apple PodcastsSpotifyGoogle Podcasts

Listen to the Latest

Featured Episodes

  • 058 "I Wanted Something Different" with Juan Salazar of La Coop Coffee
  • 022 "I am Piotr's Granddaughter" with Lydia Cottrell
  • 019 "We Were Not Leprosy" with Suwanee Lennon
  • 077 Arabic Feasts with My Husband, John Hadeed
dark and moody photo of Becky Hadeed kneading arepas dough

Welcome, Friend!

I’m Becky Hadeed, a mother to 4, curious home cook, lover of extraordinary light, and host of The Storied Recipe Podcast. I consider it a great honor that my guests entrust me with their stories and allow me photograph and share their most treasured family recipes.

More About Me ->

Most Popular Recipes

  • two slices of chewy golden nian gao on pink plate
    Baked Nian Gao: Glutinous Rice Cake (with Sticky Rice Flour)
  • hand holds flaky spiraled roti paratha (aka roti canai in malaysia) above lush green foliage.
    How to Make Flaky Roti Paratha (Malaysian Roti Canai)
  • pollo frito puerto rican fried chicken with no flour in basket lined with red checked napkin
    Pollo Frito: Puerto Rican Fried Chicken (Without Flour)
  • delicate white dish holds fish cooked in tomato sauce, topped with gently caramelized onons, dill and parsley
    Ukrainian Red Fish in Tomato Sauce

Follow in Your Favorite Player

Apple PodcastsSpotifyGoogle Podcasts

Listen to the Latest

Featured Episodes

  • 058 "I Wanted Something Different" with Juan Salazar of La Coop Coffee
  • 022 "I am Piotr's Granddaughter" with Lydia Cottrell
  • 019 "We Were Not Leprosy" with Suwanee Lennon
  • 077 Arabic Feasts with My Husband, John Hadeed
  • Episodes
  • Recipes
  • Prints Shop
  • About
  • Contact

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • About Becky
  • How to Listen to The Storied Recipe Podcast
  • Reviews of The Storied Recipe
  • Privacy Policy

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for weekly updates (and occasional gifts!)

Contact

  • Contact
  • Service
  • Media Kit
  • FAQ

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2025 Brunch Pro on the Feast Plugin