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a fatyer 7

Lebanese Meat Fatayer/ Lebanese Meat Turnovers

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Prep: 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Course
Snack
Cuisine
#Middle Eastern

Lebanese

Mediterranean

RECIPES FROM AROUND THE WORD

Description

Serve Meat Fatayer straight out of the oven, but enjoying them at room temperature is common practice.

Ingredients
 

For the dough:

  • 500 g / 1lb 2 oz. all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoons instant dry yeast
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2-3 tablespoons sunflower oil
  • 1 1/4 cups whole milk or a bit less

For the filling:

  • 500 g/ 1 lb. 2 oz minced lamb or beef
  • 1 medium onion
  • 2 large tomatoes peeled
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly crushed black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne optional

Instructions
 

  • Start making the dough: In a large bowl, mix the flour, active dry yeast, sugar, salt and oil. Add the lukewarm milk and mix well.
  • Knead the dough until it is of one texture. Slam it a couple of times on a countertop before you cover it with cling film, this will strengthen the gluten in the flour, resulting in a very light and fluffy dough. Watch the video! Set aside for one and a half hour or until it doubles in bulk.
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  • In the meantime, prepare the meat filling: Heat the skillet over high heat and coat with oil, add the minced meat and break up into large pieces. Let it brown for several minutes. Stir in the chopped onions and season with cinnamon powder, black pepper and cayenne, if used. Add the chopped tomatoes and sprinkle with salt, salt will cause tomatoes to release their juices and will also concentrate it’s flavor. Turn the heat to medium and simmer covered for 5 minutes or until the tomatoes are cooked and the moisture evaporates. Take a bite and adjust seasoning to your taste preference, we don’t want a bland flavor! Leave it to cool down, or your fatayer will unravel while baking. It is advisable to refrigerate the filling for 6 hours or overnight.
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  • Preheat the oven to 220°C/430°F. Place the rack in the center of the oven.
  • When the dough has doubled in size, flour a counter top and break off the dough into equal balls roughly the size of a ping pong ball or a bit smaller.
  • Stretch each dough with a rolling pin to a round circle 1/3 cm/3 or 4 mm thick (it should be thin), making sure to flour the countertop and the rolling pin every now and then to avoid sticking the dough.
  • I will provide you with three attractive ways of shaping meat fatayer:
  • The first way is somewhat of a work of art! Place a spoonful of filling in the center of round dough, crimp and pleat the dough over the filling alternating left and right sides. Make sure to seal well. Watch the video tutorial!
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  • The second is the crescent pocket fatayer that looks like empanadas. Add 1 tablespoon of filling in the center of round dough and fold into halfmoon and pinch the edges together, press and twist the edges of dough together. Watch the video tutorial!
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  • And the last and the most common way of shaping fatayer is the pyramid triangle shape that most probably you know, add 1 tablespoon of filling in the center of the round. Lift the edges of the circle up and bring it together to the center of the circle. Seal by pinching the ends together, forming a pyramid. Make sure your fatayer are well sealed otherwise they will unfold while baking! Watch the video tutorial!
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  • Lightly grease two large baking sheets with oil and place the meat fatayer on the greased sheets. Make sure to leave enough space between each fatayer.
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  • Bake for about 12 to 15 minutes to a golden color. Serve warm or at room temperature.
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Video

Notes

You might like to check our:

Sfeeha” / Authentic Lebanese Meat Pies

Gaziantep Lahmacun

 Lebanese Cheese Sambusek!
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Keyword meat fatayer
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