Fatayer bi jibneh - Cheese Pies

dina bayoud kohl

5 from 3 votes

Prep Time 1 40

Cook Time 30

Total Time 4 10

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Lebanese

Servings 32 pies

For the dough
450 g all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons rapid-rise dry yeast
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon sugar
50 ml extra-virgin olive oil
250 ml lukewarm water
For the filling
600 g akkawi cheese
150 g spring onions trimmed, rinsed and thinly sliced
1 bunch of parsley 40 g, leaves stripped off, rinsed, drained and coarsely chopped
2 egg whites
30 g melted butter
1- teaspoon Nigella seeds
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon dried green mint crushed in your palms
For the egg wash
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoon water
1 pinch of salt
1- teaspoon Nigella seeds

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 spring onions, parsley, 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 (14x8 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 20-30 minutes, or until golden in colour. Serve warm or at room temperature.