Fatayer (Lebanese Spinach Pies)
This delicious and easy fatayer recipe uses sumac, spinach, and onion. These Lebanese spinach pies are perfect for snacks, appetizers, lunch, and more!
Servings: 20
Equipment
Ingredients
For the dough
- 8 cups white flour plain white or white bread flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 Tbsp salt
- 2.5 cups water lukewarm
- 2 tsp dry yeast
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
For the filling
- 2 lb spinach
- 4 tsp salt
- 9 oz onion 2 small red or yellow
- 4 Tbsp olive oil plus more for greasing
- 4 Tbsp lemon juice from 1 large lemon
- 2 Tbsp sumac
- 2 Tbsp pomegranate molasses optional
Instructions
Make the dough
- In a small bowl, combine the water, sugar, and dry yeast. Set aside for 5-10 minutes to activate the yeast.
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cornstarch, and salt. Add the yeast mixture and the oil and mix well until a sticky dough forms.
- Knead the dough for 5-10 minutes till soft and elastic.
- Place it in an oiled bowl and rub some more oil on top of it. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel or muslin cloth. Leave it to rest for 45-60 minutes in a warm location to rise.
Make the filling
- Wash well and chop the spinach finely. Transfer it to a bowl and sprinkle with the salt. Set aside for 10-15 minutes.
- Finely chop the onions and, if needed, juice the lemon.
- Squeeze the salted spinach with clean hands and remove as much of the liquid as possible.
- In a large bowl, mix well the spinach, onion, olive oil, lemon juice, sumac, and optional pomegranate molasses.
Shape and assemble the pies
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF/175ºC. Grease a baking sheet with oil.
- Roll the risen dough thinly using a rolling pin (or glass bottle) to about 1/8th inch (2-4 mm). Then, cut out circles of about 4 inches (10 cm) in diameter. Collect the extra dough, knead it to make a uniform ball, and roll it out to cut out more circles.
- Add about 1-2 Tbsp of the spinach mixture to each circle (make sure to leave a margin) and fold in a triangular shape. Pinch two sides together, then fold over the third side and pinch it all together carefully to secure the pastry.
Bake the pies
- Brush the pies with some olive oil and arrange them in a single layer on the baking sheet.
- Bake the fatayer at 350ºF/175ºC for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.You can enjoy them right away or at room temperature.
Video
Notes
To store: Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
To freeze: Place the pies in a sealable bag and freeze for up to 6 months.
To reheat, Bake them in the oven at 300°F/150ºC for 10 minutes for fresh fatayer or 15 minutes for frozen, until warmed through and crispy.
Sourcing and substitutes: Sumac and pomegranate molasses can be found online or in Middle Eastern stores. Lemon pepper can be used as a substitute for sumac. Homemade pomegranate molasses can be made by simmering pomegranate juice.
Check the blog post for more tips and FAQs!
Nutrition
Calories: 288kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 866mg | Potassium: 345mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 4254IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 4mg