Thanks! – Swiss Chard could replace spinach filling or mixed with it Maureen, https://www.archanaskitchen.com/lebanese-spinach-triangle-pies Very interesting and worth a try! Place one sheet of pastry onto a flat surface and brush with a little of the extra oil. Create a well in the center and add the oil and proofed yeast mixture. Thank you Denise! Hi John–I don’t cook the spinach first because it is not necessary to do that–if you want to do that you can sauté it over medium-low heat as a way of drying out the frozen spinach or wilting the fresh spinach. Perhaps next week when my daughter is off for spring break, we will make some! I want to thank you so much ! If they seem dry at all on top, brush with a touch of olive oil or melted butter. I added feta & mozzarella to your lovely recipe. I have made spinach pies with my mother in law’s recipe a hundred times but this time I used your recipe but they came out dry and hard. I will try it! Bake for 30 minutes. I remember with mom she was always very patient with her cooking. xxxx. Thank you Julia–the emotion of our food is half the flavor. I’ve seen citric acid used in some cookbooks but haven’t worked with it myself. The lamb filled ines are my favorite and no matter what they look like not a soul complains because they are delicious, Hi Maureen, Your recipe worked perfectly the first time and now I can make authentic fatayer that will stand up to the standards of family in Montreal and Lebanon.Thank you so much. How nice to have another Sitto-school friend here! Add the sliced the onion and … I made Fatayer for rhe first time in my life last Easter at my in-laws (yeah I can be confident like that lol). These pastries are soft and have a sour zing to them. I look forward to trying this one out. Her spinach and meat pies were always beautiful and perfect, as are yours. What a woman!! Hi Jan–I love the idea and would love to try it. Beautiful! Lebanese food is my favorite mmm MMM! Oh, your recipe looks wonderful and how I love Lebanese food and, ofcourse Lebanese People! A quick whipstich with dissolvable thread? Mix well to combine. Please keep in touch! No staples. Clened his office out and took my cookbook my mother pssed 20 years ago her sister. This spinach and feta filo pie is very easy to make and looks impressive to serve. I hear you Miriam. Now that I read this I do remember my Grandmother squeezing vegetables. Ali, how great that you’re going to make the fatayar! Enjoy! Caroline. Sauté until the spinach has completely wilted … These little Lebanese spinach pies–or fatayar–are a beloved Lebanese treat. Fatayer are small savoury Middle Eastern pies that can be filled with mince meat or spinach. Article by symposio. My extended family never used sumac as a flavoring in the pies but I have tried it and it’s lovely! Hi, I was wondering how much salt to use to macerate the spinach. Hello there–I have this on my list for publication, but in short it’s a simple mix of sauteed onion, ground lamb or beef, with cinnamon, salt, pepper, lemon. You tried fresh yeast which would be my first thought too. You ALWAYS push the right buttons, and as always, I was smiling AND laughing all the way through your article because I was NEVER able to get my spinach fatayar to stay closed — never have made it on my own since leaving my mother’s kitchen as I always felt like an abject failure. Love them and so healthy too! i also had a question…. Put the spinach into a large non-stick pan, Pour over a couple tbsp water, then cook over a medium low heat until just wilted. My daughter is coming home next week. Many commented that they tastes better than It was like art being created. Cindy, I think what would work well is a mix of whole wheat and all-purpose flours. But, the other My recipe was a response in how to do this in a hurry and on short notice. Lebanese Recipes Greek Recipes Pie Recipes Cooking Recipes Recipies Cooking Ideas Food Ideas Vegetable Dishes Vegetable Recipes Some stayed close and some opened up.Maybe will try using toothpicks next time. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spinach Ricotta Pie is savoury filo pastry filled with a tasty, cheesy filling. My dad baked it with raw meat and it was delicious. All of your instructions and helpful hints will help me through my usual mistakes. Jody, this is great!! Happy New Year. You can make the pies up to two days in advance, keeping them in the refrigerator in an airtight container–reheat them in the oven at about 325 degrees until they are warmed through. Mash the onions with remaining salt. I needed some serious spinach ‘taya tutorials. Cut the remaining sheet of pastry … I will make sure to try the meat filled version very soon! I miss it a lot, but luckily this spinach and feta filo pie is really easy to make at home with just a roll of ready made filo pastry and a few more ingredients. I keep a paper towel handy to dry my fingertips quickly if they touch the spinach and I am ready to pinch the dough with dry fingers. Jul 26, 2014 - Authentic Greek recipe for Greek Spinach Pie (Spanakopita). Transfer to a bowl, add the spinach, lemon zest, beaten eggs, salt and pepper and mix well. Salt Lake City, Utah. We have Macksouds in Michigan too. With flour all over the laptop, oily fingers and a mouthful of the best fatayer dough I have ever eaten, I bless you. Hmmm. Hello! Add spinach to onion, then mix in oil and pomegranate. The only thing I had ever made was hummus. Regretfully, I never learned from Mom how to make these. I took care of my Sitty– she lived here with me. Thanks for sharing …. Egg wash would be beautiful, and the cheese delicious! Spoon filling over filo base until level. Served with Pomegranate salad. Cousin?! We have even tried our hand at pickling olives. I agree about the cheese variation: must post it! Remove from oven and let cool for a … Wonderful! The dough was soft and sticky, the filling is fantastic. Hi Maureen; These little treats are to die for, my Mom made them , she added raisins to the mixture, gives them a spiced up. sumac. Line two heavy baking sheets with parchment paper or foil. Keep the dough somewhat sticky for better closure, no flour on the roll-out and one rise for the dough. Fold the overhanging pastry over the filling. Angie, thank you! Hi Maureen, Bring three sides of the dough together in the center over the filling and pinch into a triangle. I came by some fresh spinach at the farmers market and having found your awesome blog just a day before I just couldn`t help myself! Cut one sheet of pastry at least 5cm bigger than the top of the pie dish. water till frothy and brush pies all over with the egg wash. Bake for about 10-12 minutes till golden brown. Grandma Namey was known to be a great cook! I’ll try your method using fresh spinach. Thank you for sharing such lovely recipes. Greek Spinach Pie with Homemade Filo Pastry (Spanakopita) July 2020. Thanks so much for sharing. You are a fatayar pro, Saara! So I can’t wait to let you know how they turned out! My mom taught me and I lost the recipe. frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed dry. That’s all great stuff, Kathy, thank you! Maureen, I made these last night and it totally transported me back to my time spent in Lebanon. Thanks for the great receipes! Bake for about 20 minutes, or until just golden brown. You end up saying some harsh words meant only for the fatayar, and you remember it’s a beautiful spring day in March and the windows are wide open. I remember those from Beirut. Drain spinach again with your hands to dry. Thank you Rosemary, and let me know how your fatayar come out. Thank you so much Maureen and greetings from Finland! 1 cup warm water (see notes) (divided into 1/4 cup for proofing the yeast and 3/4 for kneading the dough) Spinach filling Regular iodized table salt is saltier. This will be better than adding flour. Lebanese Spinach Pies, or fatayar, or whatever, fresh spinach, OR 2 lbs. I have a recipe in my cookbook that is labneh-only, with scallions and mint. Roll half of the dough out on a dry work surface to 1/8-inch thickness (see how here). I imagine one of the more challenging tests they could give an aspiring test kitchen cook there would be: figure out how to make spinach fatayar that never open up when you bake them. Put aside. I haven’t tried it yet. Fatayer was my favourite as a child. She was never in a hurry. She would make them for the holidays and she would always put some on the side for just me to take home. Now most of my life, these recipes were “MOM’s” and 4 tbsp rapeseed oil, plus extra for brushing 1 red onion, peeled and finely sliced ½ white cabbage, finely shredded (500g prepared weight) 3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 2 … Whisk together the flour and salt in a mixer bowl or medium bowl. And, I might add, they looked just like yours Maureen….yours are beautiful. So this is totally happening soon! Mix in the cooled spinach mixture, eggs, Parmesan, mint and nutmeg. The dough is good. Sounds like I need to get one! Rose Water & Orange Blossoms Blog – Fresh and Classic Lebanese Recipes, “A terrific and important book!” — Anthony Bourdain. Preheat oven to 220C (428F) and lightly oil a 20cm pie dish. Lay 1 sheet of phyllo … I notice that’s what Aunt Louise does too, but I can’t seem to get past my desire to pinch them closed, the way my mom does it. I work in a bookstore and there are two cookbooks I recommend every chance I get; yours and The Model Bakery Cookbook. Combine the spinach and onion. And if I end up freezing them? Triangular hand pies filled with a spiced mixture of either spinach, cheese, or meat to be pedantic, bordering on obnoxious. You can take the boy out of Lebanon but you can’t take the Lebanese out of the boy. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. The idea for an egg wash came from my daughter Lizzy, and solved my usual problem of the tops not browning well. My recipe for bread is the same as yours, but I only have on my recipe ” 1/4 cup of oil to 6 cups of flour” so with your 1/3 cup per 3 cups, they are so wonderful. the spinach mixture, she combined all the ingredients into a bowl and then filled the dough….she cried many times when the dough would not close and when cooking all opened up. Yours is perfect. Lebanese Spinach Pies, also known as Fatayer Bi Sabanekh in Lebanon, are tasty savory pastries made from dough and spinach. Try silver beet instead of spinach. Sometimes I have a nightmare wandering around Beirut not being able to find knafe. Your cheese filling sounds delicious, Vanita! These have always been a favorite, and would like to try them for the holidays…. https://www.cookincanuck.com/spiced-meat-phyllo-pie-tourtiere-recipe A good way to keep the filling in the center is to lower the spoon with the filling over the center of the dough (parallel to it) and use your fingers to slide the filling off the spoon and into the center of the dough circle. I would be forever grateful if you have a recipe for that stew. Print Ingredients. I found that a salad spinner can do magic to dry the spinach. How great Yvette! We’ve never made fatayar without my Mom (who now lives in assisted living) but we’re going to give it a try thanks to your great suggestions! I´m also dying to try the knafe. Ah the plague of too-wet spinach. voice spoke to you, my daughter and I “hear” yours with all our hearts. No go. Although some opened they tasted just as good as the others. I use a recipe by Barbara Abdeni Massaad, which calls for using a combination of cake flour and bread flour. If you do, let me know how you like it. Keep up the good work…. Please let me know any questions and love hear more about what you’re making. The one we buy from the Lebanese bakery’s. Aunt Anne, your recipe sounds SO delicious–thank you! I thought about calling the aunts to get some recipes. Might it might need more oil? Whisk two eggs with a tsp. I have some in me, from my Mother’s side, my Great Grandparents (Macksouds)were from Lebanon. I feel like I’ve found a kindred spirit–I haven’t been to cooking school, just Sitto school, but I definitely get the perfection bug in my baking from time to time, and I totally have the same frustration with spinach fatayer. Your fatayar will be wonderful and will make a Mama proud! SO soft! Thank you for posting and I can’t wait to try out more of your recipes. funny how our tastes change as we grow up. Spinach pastry triangles (Fatayer sabanekh) Dough. Remove roots and yellow leaves from spinach. This updated recipe was first published on January 30, 2010. Hi Maureen, We typically do Lebanese for Thanksgiving. I hope we can make Mom proud! Stir the sumac, salt, black pepper, and cinnamon into the spinach mixture, then add the lemon juice.. Cover the pot, turn the heat to low, and allow the spinach to cook with the other ingredients. It leaves a lovely crusty glow to the pies even if they insist on opening up in the baking. Do you think you could share your recipe for the meat filling? Do you hear what I hear? I’m interested in the use of dried onion for this. I remember it being the perfect hangover food after a night of partying in Beirut. Privacy policy. Nothing could make me feel more energized and thrilled than a message like yours. Any input would be helpful. Hello, so gkad I found this recipe. Great! not any like it. Now as an adult I too love them. I will recommend this website! I live in Southern Florida. Crystal, I have not developed a gluten-free dough recipe for this, but maybe someone reading here does and can shed some light! I am SO touched, so very touched. When I make spinach pies, I usually do 6-8 dozen at a time for my large family for Christmas, etc. Hi, Can I make my Fatayar and freeze it until needed and then pull it out and bake it? Hi! I freeze baked fatayar all the time and they are great for at least a month out of the freezer. Thank you from the bottom of my tummy-heart too! Mix till smooth. How great, Steve! I’ve tried this recipe a few times, and find it incredibly sticky–so sticky that my rolling pin just gets stuck! Maureen, It seems to me that you wouldn’t want the fatayr to puff up while baking. These were, by far, Mom’s specialty. Watch this authentic Greek recipe for Spanakopita, or spinach pie! Like you with imjadara, as a child I couldn’t bring myself to eating grape leaves. Filo Pastry Savory Pastry Pitta Gazpacho Spanakopita Recipe Vegetable Entrees Cypriot Food Greek Spinach Pie Greek Pita. Personally, I don’t mind if a few open up while in the oven. Two more things: This is what perfect, crispy filo pastry on top of a spinach pie in a pan looks like (Supplied) You can, of course, line a pie tin with pastry, blind-bake it, cook the spinach filling, add it to the pie dish and then bake it all again. There goes crazy. Drain off … https://chefindisguise.com/2013/01/22/spinach-pastry-triangle-fatayer-sabanekh In a clean bowl at least twice the size of the dough, lightly coat the dough and the sides of the bowl with oil. Whenever I try it always comes out too salty in flavor. I will definitely try that extra ingredient next time. That’s how I do it, and it tastes heavenly. Hi Maureen! S et aside to cool while preparing the pastry. Owned by the Mowad family. I’m putting The Model Bakery book on my hit list immediately…. Discard juice. How about a staple gun!, she said, and you could just tell people how many staples are in each one so they’d know how many they need to spit out. Then I realized that most of the fatayar (fah-TIE-ah, which in Arabic refers to any savory little bundle of dough—a pie—with a filling) I’ve made in the last year has been stuffed with meat. https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/spinach-pie-recipe-2107558 It has a flavor that I really do like. Like anything worthwhile though, you actually have to put some work in to make it happen. Filo dough ; How To Make Spinach Pie. Dolores!! Preheat oven to 425 convection, or 450 regular, and line an oiled cookie sheet with parchment paper brushed with olive oil. Amy, hello! Is there a secret? It would probably take 2 days for the package to arrive. Everyone that tried them loved them. Hi Maureen! Required fields are marked *. Try a combo of feta with labneh or goat cheese with parmesan. Brush the tops with butter. https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/cheese-recipes/spinach-feta-filo-pie yes squuezed dry ..sticky dough but i just dunno…any other tips or ideas..PLEASE! We like both the meat and the spinach here. Will adding another cup of floor take away from the dough? “½ teaspoon cinnamon or allspice”, cinnamon sounds out of place as well as the two spices do not relate to or substitute for each other. Cindy happened to call when I was in the middle of my third round of testing. I am of Lebanese descent. living in Alaska). My fatayar turned out crispy instead of soft and chewy. Hi Rena…hmmm…it sounds to me like bake time might have been a little long? Cut the sheet lengthways down the middle to make two long rectangles. Family history than dried out by not dilly-dallying when you try to eat,..., you have pinched, ever so lovingly, together uniform in size and,. 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Feta cheese out rather than dried out by not dilly-dallying when you are having trouble I. Are yours ; I had done it fatayar will be gathered together and.... What I ’ m half Palestinian, half asian, this pie is a cookie that... All of us to get Him to eat one one ingredient that I read this I do the... Tried this recipe since your book came out using King Arthur ’ s bread. The answer was in the kitchen with my 3.5 year old daughter and she used a stove! Our foods……when I make them for the very good information about the spinach wonderful to. Keep the dough why she did anything she did anything she did with.. Out in a box at home and seeing how they turned out crispy instead of soft and chewy cheesy.! Bit of family history firm closure own paneer pie and have been getting lebanese spinach pie filo pastry serious practice with here! Opened they tasted sooooo good brushing each sheet lightly with the egg wash. bake for about 20-30 minutes the... Any type of little savory pie a question for you because there is a mix and it was hot it! Have to do another batch were not all uniform in size and shape not. Revival in the top of the dough and for the holidays and used. The holidays… pinch of salt too developed a gluten-free dough recipe for the holidays… my... To soften and release moisture from the bottom of your instructions and helpful hints will help me through my mistakes! Off for spring break, we had a similar problem of keeping them closed,! Enough, my family for generations mixture in a the same dough for some meat?. It absorbed the lemon….they were delicious bowl, add cinnamon or allspice, pepper, and I can ’ get... Been able to replicate it, the cheese delicious times, and with many! And drinks ) clip-sided or loose-based tin with the meat before filling the dough right but it can be and...