Fatayer Recipe: Soft Levantine Spinach & Cheese Pastries

• 500 g plain all-purpose wheat flour
• 1 tbsp instant yeast, 1 tbsp sugar and 1 tsp salt
• 60 ml extra-virgin olive oil and about 260 ml lukewarm water
• For the spinach filling: 500 g fresh spinach (finely chopped), 1 finely diced onion, 2 tbsp ground sumac, 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses, juice of half a lemon and 3 tbsp olive oil
• For the cheese filling: 300 g desalted akkawi cheese (crumbled), 1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley (finely chopped) and 1 tsp nigella seeds
• Olive oil for greasing the tray and brushing the warm pastries

Preparation Steps

1. 1Combine the flour, instant yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl, pour in the olive oil and lukewarm water gradually, and knead for 8 minutes into a supple dough; cover and leave to rise in a warm spot for 45 minutes until doubled.
2. 2For the spinach filling, sprinkle the chopped spinach with a pinch of salt, massage it briefly and squeeze it out firmly by hand until completely dry, then toss with the diced onion, sumac, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice and olive oil.
3. 3For the cheese filling, soak sliced akkawi cheese in cold water for 2 to 3 hours, changing the water several times to remove excess salt, then pat dry, crumble and mix with chopped parsley and nigella seeds.
4. 4Divide the risen dough into small balls and roll each into a thin circle; spoon spinach filling into the centre and pinch three sides together into a sealed triangle, or add cheese filling and fold two opposite edges inward to form a boat.
5. 5Arrange on an oiled baking tray and bake in a preheated oven at 220 °C for 12 to 15 minutes until lightly golden underneath and at the edges, then brush lightly with olive oil straight from the oven.