Lebanese Spinach Pies (Fatayers)

Kendra PeloJoaquin's Note:

I am about to try this recipe for the first time, but wanted to post it because I searched and searched this site for this recipe. As a child, my family would visit my grandparents in Fall River. Lebanese meat pies and spinach pies still hot from Sam's bakery were our breakfast treat. My sibs and I have been searching for a recipe for ever. I found this one at http://www.lebguide.com/lebanon/lebanese_cuisine/default.asp Note: You can substitute spinach with unchopped purslane leaves. Recipe didn't include servings or time, so I guessed, and will correct the numbers after I've made this.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 10 mins
• Prep Time: 40 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 6 pies

• 5 cups all-purpose flour (plain)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 kg fresh spinach
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 3 large onions, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 pinch ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons ground sumac (as desired)
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon thickened pomegranate juice (as desired)

Directions:

1. Ajeen (dough).
2. Sift the flour into a working surface. Mix in salt and sugar. Make a well in the centre.
3. Pour olive oil and vegetable oil in the well. Mix the dry ingredients into the liquid.
4. Add water gradually. Knead the dough into a ball (if the dough is too stiff add some water).
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. Filling.
8. Prepare dough (ajeen). Leave aside and cover for an hour to rise. Make sure dough doubles in volume.
9. Filling:
10. 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.
11. Mash the onions with remaining salt. Add pepper and sumac. Add spinach to onion, then mix in oil and pomegranate. Put aside.
12. 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.
13. Place a tbls of spinach filling on each piece. Bring up sides at 3 points to form a triangular shape.
14. Press edges firmly with fingertips to seal completely (put flour on finger tips tohelp seal).
15. Place pies on oiled baking sheets. Bake in a moderately hot oven (200° C) for 30 minutes.

Reviews

[Chef #1335157]

the dough need yeast/

[Chef #1267141]

They look very nice, the triangle shape makes them unique. I don't know how they will taste as will serve them tonight. Hope they taste as good as they look!! Cooked them and they taste terrific!!! I added some sesame seeds to the mixture and some thyme as I did not have Sumac. Even the children liked them. Pastry is excellent too, I brushed with a little bit of oil before cooking in the oven. They did not take long to assemble and my dough did grow after 6 hours (not as much as how a dough grows with yeast) I managed to make 26 mini pies. I had lots of mixture left and even dough shame I binned it!!!

[Elmotoo]

The dough didn't seem to rise in the 6 hours mentioned in the directions. It certainly wasn't doubled in size. However, it was a lovely dough to work with - nice & elastic. 1 1/2kg spinach is a lot of chopping! When was I supposed to add the 1/2c lemon juice? The directions say the recipe makes 6 pies but using a cup to cut out the circles, I ended up with about 50. And mine looked like beggars purses because I couldn't get the hang of the 3 point thing, lol. And it took me more like 2 hours to prep - maybe this is because I just hadn't done it before? Also, I kept the chopped spinach mixture in a colander set in a bowl so it would continue to drain. That worked really well. BUT! THEY ARE REALLY, REALLY DELICIOUS!!! I highly recommend taking the time to make these. Made for PAC spring '07.