Spinach fatayer
User Reviews
5
Spinach fatayer
Description
Spinach fatayer consists of a soft yeast dough made from flour, instant yeast, salt, sugar, olive oil, and warm water, kneaded until smooth and allowed to rise. The filling mixes roughly chopped spinach (fresh or thawed frozen) with onion, salt, black pepper, optional Lebanese seven spice, sumac, pomegranate molasses, pine nuts, and lemon juice. The filling ingredients are well combined to create a flavorful, tangy mixture.
Once the dough has doubled in size, it is rolled out and filled with the spinach mixture before baking into individual hand pies. The tartness from sumac and pomegranate molasses balances the earthy spinach and enriches the flavor. The pine nuts add a textural contrast. These pastries have a tender, slightly chewy crust with a savory, zesty spinach center.
Spinach fatayer are suitable as appetizers, snacks, or part of a mezze platter. They can be enjoyed warm or at room temperature and pair well with dips or yogurt. The recipe yields soft, flavorful pastries with balanced herb and spice notes.
Ingredients
For pastry:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour all purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon instant yeast
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ⅓ cup water may need 1 - 2 tablespoon more, as needed, warm
For filling:
- 8 oz spinach can use fresh or frozen, 225g
- ½ onion or ¼ if large
- ¼ teaspoon salt plus an additional ¼ tsp, approx, if using fresh spinach
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon lebanese seven spice optional
- 1 teaspoon sumac
- ½ tablespoon pomegranate molasses
- ½ tablespoon pine nuts optional
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Place the flour, yeast, salt and sugar in a bowl and mix together. Add the oil and ⅓ cup water and mix into a smooth dough. You will probably need a little more water, so add more gradually, as needed. If it is still dry and some of the flour is not incorporated, add a little more water. It should come together as a ball but also not be wet.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for around 3 - 5 minutes until any stickiness has gone and it is smooth. Bring the dough together in a ball. You can also mix the ingredients and knead in a stand mixer (knead for around 2 - 3 minutes).
- Lightly oil a clean bowl, place the ball of dough in it and cover with cling wrap. Leave in a warm room temperature place for around 2 hours until the dough has doubled in size.
- Meanwhile, mix together the filling. If using fresh spinach, roughly chop the leaves and place in a colander, sprinkling a little salt over the leaves as you go and leave to sit 10 minutes. Then, squeeze the spinach really well to remove the liquid - you can do this by hand but using a clean cloth or cheesecloth works well to help. If using frozen spinach, you can skip the salt and just squeeze really well.
- Finely chop the onion and add it to the drained spinach. Add in the salt, pepper, sumac, Lebanese seven spice, if using, and pomegranate molasses. Add pine nuts, if you want to include, and mix everything well then set aside.
- Once the dough has risen, knock it back and remove from the bowl. Divide the dough into 8 pieces and roll each into a ball, folding the dough back on itself to be smooth on top.
- Preheat the oven to 425F/220C.
- Take one piece of the dough and either roll out with a rolling pin or use your hands to flatten it out into a circle, around 6 - 7 inches in diameter. Add the lemon juice into the filling mixture right before using and stir through. Place some of the spinach filling, around 2 tablespoons, in the middle of the dough.
- Pinch together two sides of the dough over the filling so that you form a point on one side (see pictures) Press together along the join. Then, take the remaining part of dough and bring it into the middle, pinch together, then join up both sides to form a triangular shape. Try to avoid having too much air inside the dough but also make sure it is not over-filled. Carefully transfer to a lightly-oiled baking sheet (photo shows lined with silicone mat but oiled is better to be crisper on base).
- Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough and filling. If you like, you can brush the outside of the fatayer with a little olive oil or egg wash before baking, but you can also leave as they are. (Egg wash will mean no longer vegan.)
- Bake for around 12 - 15 minutes until lightly golden on the outside. It's worth transferring to a cooling rack soon after removing from the oven to avoid the base becoming soft. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8approx
Amount Per Serving
Calories 124 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 124kcal | 6% |
| Carbohydrates | 22g | 7% |
| Protein | 4g | 8% |
| Fat | 3g | 5% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Sodium | 243mg | 10% |
| Potassium | 211mg | 4% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 2659IU | 53% |
| Vitamin C | 9mg | 10% |
| Calcium | 35mg | 4% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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