Homemade cheese esfiha: soft and easy to make

Ingredients

• 200 gricotta or crumbled white cheese
• 60 ggrated mozzarella
• 60 ggrated Parmesan
• 120 gcream
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml)chopped parsley
• to tastesalt
• 480 g (4 cups)plain flour
• 6 gdried yeast
• 20 gsugar
• 140 mlwater
• 140 mlwhole milk
• 60 ml (4 tablespoons)olive oil or vegetable oil

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix the filling

   Combine all the filling ingredients, cover and refrigerate until needed.

2. 2

   Make the dough

   In a large bowl, mix the flour, yeast and sugar. Add the water, milk and olive oil or vegetable oil, and mix until a dough forms. Add the salt last and work it into the dough. Cover the bowl and leave the dough to rest for 10 minutes.

3. 3

   Knead and rise

   Turn the dough out onto a clean, smooth work surface and knead until soft, about 20 minutes by hand or 10 minutes with a mixer. Stop once it is smooth. Transfer it to a bowl greased with olive oil, cover and leave to rise for 2 hours or until doubled in size.

4. 4

   Shape the portions

   Press the air out of the dough and divide it into 16 portions of 50 g each. Shape them into balls and place them on a baking tray dusted with cornmeal, leaving space between them. Cover with a clean, damp tea towel or plastic wrap and leave to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in volume.

5. 5

   Heat the oven

   Preheat the oven to 250°C.

6. 6

   Fill the esfihas

   Dust the work surface with cornmeal or semolina. Take a risen dough ball and press from the centre towards the edges with your fingertips to make a disc, leaving a small border to help keep the filling in. Make each disc just over 10 cm across, add 25 g of filling (about one heaped tablespoon), spread it over the centre and transfer the esfiha to a baking tray.

7. 7

   Bake and serve

   Bake in the preheated 250°C oven for 10 minutes, or until the edges are golden. Remove from the oven and serve straight away.

What are cheese esfihas?

Esfiha is a savoury pastry associated with Arab cuisine and popular in Brazil, where it is often made with a soft yeast dough. This version is filled with a blend of ricotta or white cheese, mozzarella and Parmesan rather than meat.

Soft dough: The recipe gives the dough two rises, which help make it tender and easy to shape. A high oven temperature then colours the edges while the cheese filling warms through.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 180 calories, 0g protein, 0g carbs, 0g fat.

The flour and sugar provide most of the carbohydrates, while the cheeses, cream and oil contribute much of the fat; the cheeses also provide protein. Serve an esfiha with salad or vegetables to add freshness and balance to the plate.

The cheese filling

Cheese blend: Ricotta or crumbled white cheese gives the filling its soft base, while mozzarella and Parmesan add a stretchy texture and a more savoury flavour. Cream helps bring the mixture together.

Seasoning: Parsley and salt are mixed into the cheeses before chilling. Taste the mixture before adding salt, as Parmesan can already be quite salty.

Working with the dough

Mixing: Add the salt after the water, milk and oil have been mixed into the flour, yeast and sugar. The short rest before kneading gives the dough time to settle.

Kneading: Work the dough until it feels soft and looks smooth, then stop. The recipe allows about 20 minutes by hand or 10 minutes with a mixer.

Two rises, two cues

First rise: Leave the dough covered for 2 hours, or until it has doubled in size. The visual cue matters, so allow more time if it has not grown enough.

Second rise: After dividing and shaping the dough balls, cover them and wait 1 hour or until doubled in volume. Keep them spaced apart so they have room to expand.

Shaping and filling

Open discs: Press from the centre towards the sides with your fingertips to form discs just over 10 cm across. Keep a small border around each one.

Even filling: Use 25 g of filling per esfiha, about one heaped tablespoon, and spread it over the centre. A clear border helps reduce the chance of filling escaping during baking.

A very hot oven

Heat: Preheat the oven to 250°C before shaping and baking. A fully heated oven helps the edges brown during the short 10-minute bake.

Doneness: Look for golden edges after 10 minutes. If they are not coloured yet, use the edges as your cue and continue baking until they are.

Serving ideas

Serve these esfihas soon after baking, when the dough is warm and the cheese filling is soft. They work well as a snack or as part of a meal.

For a more balanced plate, pair them with a crisp salad or sliced vegetables. Their mild cheese filling also suits a simple tomato or herb salad.

Recipe notes & tips

• Use a bowl large enough for the dough to double during its first rise.
• Keep the filling chilled while the dough rises so it is easy to portion.
• Dust the work surface lightly with cornmeal or semolina to help handle the dough.
• Leave a small border around each disc so the filling stays centred.
• Preheat the oven fully before baking the first batch.
• Check for golden edges at the 10-minute mark.

Variations

• Use white cheese: Replace the ricotta with crumbled white cheese as suggested in the filling.
• Add herbs: Mix extra chopped parsley into the cheese filling for a more pronounced herbal flavour.
• Change the oil: Use vegetable oil instead of olive oil in the dough.
• Use semolina: Dust the work surface with semolina instead of cornmeal when shaping.
• Make smaller esfihas: Divide the dough into more portions and adjust the filling to suit each one.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Rushing the first rise: Wait until the dough has doubled in size before dividing it.
• Stopping kneading too early: Continue until the dough is soft and smooth, then stop.
• Skipping the second rise: Cover the shaped balls and let them double before opening them.
• Filling to the edge: Leave a small border around each disc to help prevent leaks.
• Crowding the tray: Leave space between dough balls and shaped esfihas so they are not pressed together.
• Starting in a cool oven: Preheat to 250°C before baking so the esfihas get the intended short bake.

How to store

Once cool, store the esfihas in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a preheated oven until warmed through; the dough may soften somewhat after storage.

Frequently asked questions