Lately, I have been travelling across the globe in search of the choicest kabab recipes to compile my book called Kingdoms of Kababs. I am simplifying them in my book to enable all the great home chefs to make them in their own kitchens.
In Kuwait I was hosted by one of my Arabic friends. On my first day, I was treated to a breakfast that I will never forget.The breakfast consisted of fresh fruits, a platter of fresh dates and prunes and warm triangular savory pastries, which some how reminded of fresh warm stuffed baby nans, served along with pickled vegetables and yoghurt.
There’s a saying in Arabic, yeslamou eedaik , it is used to thank a cook for preparing a delicious meal. It literally translates to ‘bless your hands’. I said this to my friend’s grand mother for such a wonderful treat.
The triangular shaped fatayer or fitiir is a meat pie pastry that can alternatively be stuffed with spinach (sabanekh), or cheese (jibnah). It is part of the Middle Eastern cuisine and is eaten in Kuwait, Turkey, Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan and other countries in the region. Fatayer is a simple dish, in theory: just dough and filling. The dough can be made with either milk or water. Some chefs in Syria use milk, while some in Lebanon use water.
Interestingly, I saw many fatayer shops in Kuwait that only sold fatayers with different fillings such as beef, lamb, chicken, Haloumi cheese, spinach, vegetables etc. Fatayers are sold in bakeries, school cafeterias, cafe and pastry shops. They make a great start to the day or are a wonderful companion for the afternoon tea. Fatayer el jebneh or cheese pies are typically boat-shaped, but you can shape the dough any way you are comfortable with. I sometimes shape them the same way as the lebanese meat pies and on some days I make them into triangles or circles, they are tasty in any shape, so have fun with it. The cheese used for the stuffing is usually Akkawi cheese mixed with a little Kashkaval or Cheddar cheese, but you can use any salty cheese you like. You can add a variety of flavourings too cilantro, nigella seeds or dried mint add another dimension of flavour, but if you are a fan of plain cheese flavour, like me, feel free to use a plain cheese stuffing.
Here is a recipe to treat your self and your dear ones to a mouth-watering fatayer.
RECIPE FOR FATAYER
Ingredients for the dough:
● 450 gm flour (approx 3 cups)
● 3/4 cup warm milk
● 1/2 tsp sugar or honey
● 1 tsp dry active yeast
● 1/4 cup vegetable or extra virgin olive oil
For the filling:
● 500 gm spinach, finely chopped
● 2 medium onions, finely diced
● 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
● Juice of 2-3 lemons, to taste
● 2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
● 2 tbsp sumac
● 1/2 tsp black pepper
● Salt to taste
Method:
● Bloom the yeast to make sure it is alive. Add the yeast to the warm milk with the half teaspoon of sugar or honey. Cover and set aside for 5-10 minutes.
● Prepare the dough by mixing the oil with the flour and slowly mix in the yeast-milk mixture.
● Add salt to taste and knead for 10-15 minutes or until the dough is soft and elastic.
● Divide the dough into individual balls (small tennis ball size) and cover with a damp towel while you prepare the filling.
● Add salt, pepper and sumac to the diced onions and red bell peppers to soften them.
● In a separate bowl add salt to the spinach and rub the leaves with your hands until they begin to wilt. Squeeze out as much water from the spinach as you can and then mix them with the seasoned onion and red bell pepper mixture. Add lemon juice and adjust seasoning to taste.
● Form the fatayer by flattening out each piece of dough. It is similar to preparing our desi samosas. It is advisable to do this on a lightly oiled plate. If the dough begins to contract too much that means it is not well rested yet.
● Add a spoonful of the spinach mixture to the center of the disc while making sure to keep the sides clear of oil or filling. This will help create a better seal later. Crimp the dough into a triangular shape and set on a parchment lined baking sheet.
● Brush with milk or a light egg wash and bake in a 300º C oven for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.
● Serve warm or at room temperature.
The writer is a well-known restaurateur and author of many cookbooks. Follow him at www.monishgujral.com