Spinach Pastries (Fatayer)
Spinach pastries as taught to me by my mom. A winter comfort food for many and totally vegetarian/vegan.
Equipment
- Stand Mixer preferred
Ingredients
Dough Ingredients
- 1/4 cup warm water
- 2 TBSP instant yeast
- 6 cups flour
- 2 TBSP Sugar
- 1.5 TBSP Salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 cups warm water
- 1/3 cup olive oil
Filling Ingredients
- 5 KGs fresh spinach washed and chopped after washing it made 20 cups
- 4 TSP Salt
- 2 Cups diced onions
- 4 TBSP Sumac
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 TBSP Lemon juice
- 1 TSP Shatta optional or more to taste
Instructions
Spinach Prep
- Fill the bowl with a solution of 1 cup vinegar to 4 parts water, then add a tablespoon of salt. Soak your greens: Let the greens sit in the solution for two to five minutes, then remove.
- Rinse off the mixture thoroughly with cold water either in a colander or the basket of a salad spinner.
- Allow to dry complete before you chop.
Dough
- Mix in water and sugar and allow to sit for 10 minutes until foam forms.
- In a bowl of a stand mixer, mix the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda).
- Add the yeast and olive oil and allow to mix.
- Meanwhile gradually add in the water till the dough forms.
- If the dough doesn't reach desired consistency (see video), add water 1 TBSP at a time.
- Once the dough forms, knead by hand for a minute, shape into a ball and cover to proof for one hour.
- Once the dough has activated, punch down and shape into smaller balls.
- I made 30 balls out of this recipe, 50 grams each which made large sized fatayer, for smaller ones go for 25 grams per ball.
- One by one flatten into discs and scoop in filling (Details below).
- Fold in at a third, and then the opposite third, finally tuck in from the bottom. (See video for shaping technique)
- Repeat for all and place on a well oiled baking pan.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 220 degrees for 7 minutes or until tops are nicely golden.
Filling
- For the filling I like to season with salt and let it sit for 10 minutes. This will allow excess water to drain.
- Mix the onions with sumac and then add into the spinach mixture.
- Add lemon juice and mix.
- If you would like to add Shatta, mix it in at this point.
- Mix all ingredients, and taste to ensure that you like the flavor. Adjust accordingly.
Video
Notes
