Fatayer (Spinach and Cheese)
Fatayer are Middle Eastern savory stuffed pies, filled with spinach, cheese, and sometimes meat. They're soft, delicious and filled with flavor.
Ingredients
Fatayer Dough
- 3½ cups (420g) All Purpose Flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoon instant yeast
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1¼ cup warm milk
Spinach Filling (Makes 8-10)
- 10 oz. Frozen spinach, chopped thawed
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ large onion (or 1 small) finely diced
- 2 small tomatoes (or 1 large tomato) finely diced
- ½ teaspoon sumac
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon all spice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ lemon
- cilantro finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Cheese Filling (Makes 8-10)
- 2 oz. Fresh Mozzarella - chopped see notes
- 6 oz. Bulgarian Sheep Cheese (or Feta) - crumbled see notes
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried basil
Egg Wash
- 1 egg
- Nigella seeds
Instructions
Fatayer Dough
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a hook attachment, combine dry ingredients and whisk.
- Add the warm milk and olive oil and knead for 5 minutes.
- Transfer dough to an oiled bowl and let rest for 10-15 minutes.
Spinach Filling
- ***Try to make this at least an hour ahead***
- In a large pot, heat olive oil and then add the onions. Let cook a few minutes until translucent, making sure to stir.
- Add the tomatoes and cook an extra couple minutes, then add the spinach and cook 3-5 minutes. Add the spices, lemon juice, and cilantro and cook another 2 minutes before turning off the heat. Add tablespoon of olive oil and stir. Taste to make sure it doesn't need anymore salt, or lemon.
- Let cool completely before filling.
Cheese Filling
- Combine cheeses and spices in a bowl and mix thoroughly.
- If the cheeses aren't mixing very well, make sure they're both completely chopped into small pieces.
Making & Baking The Fatayer
- Once rested, divide the dough into 16 pieces and roll into balls.
- Preheat the oven to 400° F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
- Roll out each ball into a flat circle. Fill the with desired filling, and then shape into a triangle (see post for details). Don't overfill pies and make sure to pinch the edges closed really well.
- Place them on a baking sheet and brush with egg wash (sprinkle with nigella seed if desired) and bake for 15-20 minutes.
- Remove from oven and place them on a wire rack to cool before enjoying.
Notes
For Cheese Ratio:
- I personally love Bulgarian or Feta cheese, so I choose to have a higher ratio than Mozzarella cheese.
- If you aren't a fan of the salty cheese, try this ratio instead: 4 oz. mozzarella to 4 oz. salty cheese.
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