Those savoury cheese pies are simply scrumptious and easy to make. The dough is soft and malleable, and the filling is creamy and stretchy. I usually prepare them for breakfast or serve them as a starter with Lebanese Mezze during lunches or dinners. In this recipe I am using the same recipe of “Mankoushet Abou-Kamel” from my cookbook. However, I sometimes use white spelt instead of wheat as it is known to be a healthier flour in Germany.
Spelt flour
I have been experimenting with spelt wheat lately, using it instead of all-purpose flour. Popular in bakeries in Germany, spelt is a cereal grain in the wheat family with a distinctive nutty and slightly sweet flavour. It is also an ideal alternative to wheat if you are allergic to the latter, more digestible, higher in protein and has fewer calories. You can substitute wheat flour with spelt almost in a 1:1 ratio; you only need to reduce the amount of liquids by a very little amount! I made these pies with white spelt flour the other day, and I was using 1 tablespoon (15 ml) less water than stated in the recipe. The dough turned out even more pliable, and the pies much tastier!
What kind of cheeses to use
For these Fatayer bi jibneh I use a mix of different cheeses. Akkawi with Halloumi, Akkawi with Mozzarella, or Akkawi with both Halloumi and Mozzarella. If I use Feta, I make sure to mix either Mozzarella or Akkawi with it to ensure more stretchiness.
Akkawi cheese should also be the main cheese in any of the above mixture for the authentic taste and texture.
Dividing dough
To work the dough, I either divide the dough into 4 pieces, and then each piece into 8 to get 32 pieces. However, to get the same size of fatayer, here is what I do most of the time: I weigh the dough and divide result into 32. That way I get the approximate weight for the ball. A bit time consuming but fun!
Sahtein!
Check this reel for steps
Ingredients
Method
- For the dough: Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the oil and water and mix well until the dough gathers into a ball, adding a little extra flour if it is sticky or a drizzle of water if dry. Knead for about 5 minutes until smooth and pliable. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest in a warm place for at least 2 hours.
- For the filling: when using Akkawi cheese, slice it and soak in water for a couple of hours to reduce the salt. Pat-dry the cheese slices and process in a food processor. Transfer to a bowl and add the egg whites, melted butter, 1 teaspoon nigella seeds, black pepper and dried mint. Mix well.
- For the egg wash: in a small bowl whisk egg yolks, water, salt and nigella seeds.
- Make the pies: On a slightly floured surface divide the dough into 32 pieces, forming each piece into a small ball. Cover with a clean towel and let rest for 15 minutes. Roll each ball into an oval shape (14×8 cm). Evenly spread a heaped tablespoonful cheese filling over the dough leaving 1 cm border. Fold in the long sides without completely covering the cheese and pinch the ends tightly to seal.
- Transfer onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, brush with egg wash and bake in a preheated oven (200°C/400°F) for about 25 minutes, or until golden in colour. Serve warm or at room temperature.
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