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Cheese Fatayer (Or Spinach): Arabic Triangle Pies

thumbnail of lebanese cheese fatayer on wooden cutting board
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5 from 2 reviews

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

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 use 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!

Nutrition

Find it online: https://thestoriedrecipe.com/fatayer-recipe-arabic-pies/