Fatayer is a pastry I must have had hundreds, if not thousands, of times. It is a popular flaky pastry pie that can be filled with cheese, meat, or my personal favorite – spinach. In particular, Lebanese spinach pies are stuffed with a zingy, savory mixture of spinach, onion, pine nuts, sumac (the magical ingredient), and lemon juice. They can also be made in a variety of sizes and are perfect for meal-prep and to have as a snack or appetizer/side dish.
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How to make Lebanese spinach pies
Make the dough: First, mix the dry ingredients (flour, yeast, sugar, and salt), then add the like-warm water and oil and mix well. A slightly sticky, pliable dough will form. Knead this for 5-10 minutes till soft and elastic. Set aside in an oiled bowl and cover it with a kitchen towel or muslin cloth. Leave it to rest for 30 minutes in a warm location so that it can rise.
Flour: Use plain all-purpose flour. Active dry yeast: Make sure it’s not expired. Brown sugar: Just a bit of sugar is needed to feed the yeast Salt: Neutral oil: You can use vegetable oil, olive oil, or another neutral oil. Luke-warm water: This will help activate the yeast. Make sure it’s just warm and not hot.
For the Filling
Spinach: Use fresh spinach leaves Salt: A half of teaspoon salt is needed to macerate the spinach. Sumac: This will give a tangy, almost citrusy flavor. Onion: I like using red onion but you can also use white, yellow, or shallots. Pine nuts Olive oil Lemon juice Pomegranate molasses: Optional
When the dough has doubled in size, it’s ready to roll – it should be very fluffy and airy. Divide the dough into even-sized balls. It should make about 40 balls. You can weigh them (about 0.7 oz/20 g each), to be precise, or just eyeball them. Then, using a rolling pin or a glass bottle, roll each ball into a thin circle – about 1/8th inch (2-4 mm) in thickness and about 4 inches (10 cm) in diameter. While rolling each ball, keep the rest under a damp towel so the dough doesn’t dry. Make the filling: While the dough is resting, prepare the spinach mixture. Chop the spinach finely. Then, move it to a bowl and sprinkle the salt on top. Set aside for 8-10 minutes to macerate – this will help the spinach to release its liquid content. While waiting for the spinach, finely chop the onions and, if needed, juice your lemons. Optionally, toast the pine nuts in a dry pan for a couple of minutes, stirring often. Then, squeeze the salted spinach with clean hands to remove as much of the liquid as possible. As you rub and squeeze it, the spinach leaves will wilt and soften naturally. Next, in a large bowl, mix all the filling ingredients (spinach, onion, pine nuts, olive oil, lemon juice, sumac, and optional pomegranate molasses). At this point, you can also add in any additional seasonings you may like, such as paprika or cayenne pepper. Mix well to incorporate. Assemble the pies: At this point, preheat the oven to 350ºF/175ºC. Next, add 1-2 Tbsp of the spinach mixture to each circle and fold in a triangular shape. Pinch two sides together, then fold over the third side and pinch it all together carefully so the pastry doesn’t come loose in the oven. Bake the pies: Brush each pie with some olive oil. Then arrange them in a single layer on baking sheets and bake at 350ºF/175ºC (fan-assisted) for 30 minutes. The fatayers are ready when they turn golden brown and are heated through. You can enjoy them right away or at room temperature.
Recipe tips
Squeeze the salted spinach: Salt will help remove the water content from the spinach leaves (and season it, too). Then, squeeze it hard. This ensures the spinach pies don’t become soggy while baking. The dough should be thin! The key is to roll it out as thin as possible. It may puff up slightly in the oven, so it’s good to compensate for this. Experiment with flavor and ingredients: Although this recipe uses a traditional filling, feel free to experiment. For example, you could add crumbly feta cheese or spices like cayenne pepper or paprika.
If you try these Lebanese spinach pies, let me know how it goes in the comments below. I’d appreciate a recipe card rating and would love to see your recipe recreations – tag me on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
