Sfiha Lebanese Pie Recipes

SFIHA (LEBANESE PIE)

Steps:

• Mix well meat, tomatoes, onion and spices. Add yoghurt, sesame paste and pomegranate. Mix all with fried pine nuts. Add butter.
• For Dough (check out my recipe #263355 for Ajeen) Divide dough into walnut size balls. Roll between hand palms to smooth.
• Roll out balls with a rolling pin to form 8 cm diameter circles. Put one tblp of meat mixture on dough circle seeing that a cube is in each spoon.
• Bring the edges up and press to make a square.
• Arrange meat pastries in a tray brushed with butter. Bake in a moderate heat oven (180°C) for 30 minutes or till dough is golden and meat is cooked.
• Serve hot with yoghurt.

SFIHA (ARAB PIZZA)

Steps:

• Dough:.
• Dissolve the yeast with the sugar in 1/2 cup of the water, leave in a warm place for 10 minutes, or until it begins to froth.
• Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl and stir in the olive oil. Add the yeast mixture and slowly add enough of the remaining water to hold the dough together in a ball.
• Knead vigorously for about 10 minutes until the dough comes off the sides of the bowl and becomes smooth and elastic. Towards the end of the kneading, add the flavorings, if desired.
• Pour a small amount (1/2 tablespoon) of olive oil in the bowl and roll the dough in it to grease it over.
• Leave in a warm area for 1-1/2 - 2 hours. (should be doubled in size).
• Cut the dough into 9 pieces and roll each out thinly on a flat floured surface. Roll out to 7 inch circles.
• Place the rounds on oiled baking sheets and brush with egg whites. Cook in a preheated 450 degree oven for 10 minutes, turn over and brush the other side with egg whites. cook for another 8 minutes.
• Let them cool enough to handle.
• Mix the filling ingredients together and work with your hands into a soft paste. Take even lumps of the mixture and spread thickly over each pastry round.
• Bake in the oven at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.
• Serve hot.

MEDITERRANEAN MEAT PIES (SFEEHA)

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and stir in the ground beef and ground lamb, chopped onion, pine nuts, cinnamon, and salt and black pepper. Cook and stir until the meat is crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink. Drain and discard any excess grease.
• Stir in the lemon juice; taste and adjust the seasonings, and let the meat mixture cool.
• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper.
• Roll out the thawed pastry sheets to about 1/8-inch thickness. Using a sharp 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut out at least 9 rounds per sheet. Lightly brush the inside edges with a little water, and place about 2 teaspoons of filling into the middle of each round. Fold the pastry round in half to cover the filling and seal the edges well. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and repeat with the remaining dough circles.
• Brush each pie with a little egg wash. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.