Beiruti Meat Pies Lebanese Crispy Meat Fatayer
Dough Recipe (makes about 15-18 pieces):
3 cups flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp Salt
2 tsp Sugar
1/4 cup neutral oil
1 cup + 2 tbsp water
Beef Filling:
1 lb. 80% ground beef
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 tsp Lebanese 7 spices
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 tbsp cooking oil
Oil in tray sheet or bowl:
1 cup avocado or neutral oil
Directions
Prepare the filling:
Place a large pan or skillet on medium heat, add the cooking oil and add the pine nuts, toasted until golden then remove onto a plate. When toasting pine nuts constantly mix them with a spoon to avoid burning on one side.
Then add the diced onions in the same pan. Sauté for a few minutes until translucent.
Then add the ground beef and break apart. Cook until browned without drying the ground beef.
Add the spices, salt and toasted pine nuts back into the pan and mix together well.
Set the beef mixture aside to cool.
Prepare the dough:
In a bowl or a stand mixer fitted with a hook attachment, add all the dough ingredients into the bowl and mix until the ingredients come together.
Knead by hand for 8 minutes or mix in the stand mixer for 5 minutes until the dough comes together. It should be soft to the touch but a firm dough.
Cover the bowl in a wrap tightly.
Let it 1 1/2 hours. The hour will not rise but the gluten will rest which will help you while stretching.
Divide the dough into 15 to 18 pieces. The size of the dough will determine how big the final fatayer looks.
On a clean surface, place a few drops of oil and spread it on the surface.
Get a piece of the dough in oil and with your fingertips starting stretching it down and away until you get a round shape.
The oil will really help you with stretching so be generous with the amount of oil.
You will keep gently spreading the dough away from the center until you get a thin dough and you can see the color of the surface underneath.
This process takes some practice but is not impossible to achieve. If you get a couple small holes in the dough it is alright because you will roll it but avoid large holes. Be gentle while stretching.
Folding:
Fold 1/3 of the dough to the center then fold the opposite side to the center to top of the first fold. Make sure there is a spread of oil between each layer.
You will get a long shaped dough, add a large tablespoon of beef filling to one end and start rolling the dough to the other end.
You will get a rectangle shaped fatayer with layers of dough and the beef filling will be inside.
If the instructions seem confusing then follow the video here
Place the fatayer on a greased pan and brush with the remaining oil in the tray.
Pre-heat the oven to 425 F
Once the oven is heated, place on the bottom rack for 8 minutes or until the bottom is golden then place on the top rack for another 8 minutes and broil for 3 minutes until golden. Keep an eye on it to avoid burning.
Remove from oven, and allow to cool slightly before serving.
