Spinach Triangles - Fatayer bi Sabanekh
Mouth watering fatayer bi sabanekh are the middle eastern take on spinach pies. Made with a soft dough and tangy filling, you'll be going back for more, one bite after another.
Servings 12 pies
Ingredients
Fatayer Dough
- 315 grams (2 cups) plain flour plus extra for dusting
- 110 grams (6 tbsp) plain yoghurt at room temperature
- ¼ cup flavourless oil sunflower or similar
- ⅓ cup dairy milk of choice
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp instant yeast
- ½ tsp salt
- eggwash and sesame seeds if desired
Spinach Filling
- 350 grams roughly chopped spinach see notes below
- 120 grams diet minced beef non-traditional and completely optional
- 1 small brown onion finely diced
- 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
- ⅛ cup roughly chopped walnuts optional
- ½ tsp salt, to taste
- ½ tsp baharat to taste
- ¼ tsp sumac to taste
- ¼ tsp black pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp oil for sautéing
Instructions
To make the dough
- Sift the flour, instant yeast, sugar and salt into a large bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Mix milk and oil in a measuring jug and heat in the microwave in 20 second intervals until lukewarm, but not hot.
- Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, add yoghurt and milk mixture. Combine with your hand until a dough forms. If using a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment, be sure to stop and scrape down the bowl.
- Cover and let rise in a warm spot for an hour, or until doubled in size (usually no more than 90 minutes should do it).
- Meanwhile, prepare the filling by sautéing onions, meat if using, and spinach in a pan with 2 tbsp oil. Drain some of the excess fluid from pan about half way through cooking, before seasoning.
- Add the pomegranate molasses and season spinach mixture. Add walnuts if using. Continue simmering on medium low heat until most of the fluid has evaporated and spinach is soft, about 10-15 mintues in total.
- Remove from heat and add pomegranate arils, if using. Stir through and set aside to cool completely.
- When dough has doubled in size, divide into 12 equal pieces. Roll each ball of dough into a ¼ inch thick (about ½ centimetre) disc. Add a heaped teaspoon of the filling into the centre of the cirlce and fold dough over filling in three segments, forming a Y shape. Pinch the edges well to seal and repeat for reamaining dough and mixture.
- Let the pies rest on a lined baking sheet for 20 minutes for a second rise. Reshape and pinch as necessary. Brush with an eggwash and sprinkle on sesame seeds.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 400°F/200°C or 180°C fan forced for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.Serve with hot tea or a mediterranean salad for a more wholesome meal.
Notes
1 - you can use frozen chopped spinach. Simply ensure to keep draining excess fluid.
2- adding meat to the filling is non-traditional. I simply added it because I had it on hand. If you omit it, you don't need to add extra spinach.
3- try mixing chopped silverbeet and spinach for a twist on the classic. The two pair together deliciously.