Fatayer

Ingredients

• 2,000 gplain flour
• 960 ml (4 cups)warm water, or milk if preferred
• 3 sachetsactive dry yeast
• 4 tbspsugar
• 4 tspsalt
• 240 g (1 cup)plain yoghurt
• 480 ml (2 cups)vegetable oil
• 4 bunchessilver beet, stalks removed, roughly chopped, washed and rinsed well
• 4onions, diced
• Juice of 2lemons
• 80 ml (1/3 cup)vinegar
• 1/2sumac
• 80 ml (1/3 cup)pomegranate molasses
• To tastesalt
• To tasteextra-virgin olive oil
• Optional, to tastechilli paste
• 1, diced (optional)tomato

Instructions

1. 1

   Activate the yeast

   In a large bowl, whisk together the yeast, warm water and yoghurt. Leave the mixture for 15 minutes, until the yeast activates.

2. 2

   Mix the dough

   Add the remaining dough ingredients to the bowl and mix until a dough forms.

3. 3

   Knead the dough

   Turn the dough out onto a flat surface and knead it well until combined. If it feels too sticky, add more flour; if it feels too dry, add more water.

4. 4

   Let it rise

   Coat the dough with oil, cover it and leave it in a dry, warm place for 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size.

5. 5

   Mix the filling

   Put the silver beet, onions, lemon juice, vinegar, sumac, pomegranate molasses, salt, extra-virgin olive oil and, if using, chilli paste and tomato in a bowl. Mix very well. The measurements are approximate, so adjust the seasoning to taste; the filling is intended to be tangy. When you reach the end of the bowl, strain off the juice and use the remaining silver beet mixture.

6. 6

   Shape the pastries

   Divide the rested dough into small balls and roll each into a round, flat piece. Add a large tablespoon of silver beet mixture and spread it over the dough, leaving the edges nearly clear. Bring two sides together, then fold the bottom up over them to make a triangle.

7. 7

   Bake until golden

   Place the pastries in an oiled pan and brush their tops with oil. Bake in a fan-forced oven at 200°C until golden brown. Serve hot.

What are fatayer?

Fatayer are filled, folded pastries found in Levantine cooking, often shaped into triangles and baked. This version pairs soft yeast dough with a sharply flavoured silver beet filling.

The contrast between the tender bread and the lemony, savoury greens is what makes these pastries satisfying. The recipe’s pomegranate molasses and sumac add extra tang.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 2950 calories, 52g protein, 385g carbs, 110g fat.

The flour supplies most of the carbohydrates and some protein, while the vegetable oil contributes most of the fat. Silver beet and onion add volume and a little fibre; serve the pastries with salad or other vegetables to round out the plate.

A generous yeast dough

Yeast, warm water and yoghurt are whisked together first and left for 15 minutes to activate. The flour, sugar, salt and oil are then mixed in to form the dough.

The recipe gives a large quantity of flour, so add extra flour or water only as needed to bring the dough together. It should be kneaded until cohesive, then coated with oil before rising.

Keeping the filling bright

Silver beet: remove the stalks, chop the leaves roughly and rinse them well before mixing. The recipe calls for straining the juice as you get to the bottom of the bowl, then using the remaining greens.

Tangy seasonings: lemon juice, vinegar, sumac and pomegranate molasses give the filling its distinctive sharpness. Since the recipe describes the measures as approximate, taste and adjust the seasoning to suit.

Folding neat triangles

Spread a large tablespoon of filling over each rolled dough round, stopping just short of the edges. Keeping the edges clear gives the dough room to meet and hold its shape.

Bring two sides together first, then fold the bottom edge up over them. Pinch the joins closed so the filling is enclosed.

Recognising when they are done

The method gives a fan-forced oven temperature of 200°C and says to bake until the pastries are golden brown. It does not give a baking time, so use the colour of the dough as the cue.

Oil the pan and brush the tops before baking, as directed. Serve the pastries hot.

Serving the pastries

Fatayer can be served as a snack, a starter or part of a larger meal. A crisp salad or a bowl of yoghurt makes a fresh, cooling accompaniment to the tangy filling.

Because the recipe makes a substantial amount of dough, the size of each pastry and the number made will affect how filling each serving feels.

Recipe notes & tips

• Give the yeast mixture the full 15 minutes to activate before adding the rest of the dough ingredients.
• Add flour or water gradually if the dough feels too sticky or too dry.
• Rinse the silver beet well and let excess water drain before mixing the filling.
• Keep the filling away from the very edges of each dough round to help seal the triangles.
• Strain off the accumulated filling juice as directed rather than adding it to the pastries.
• Brush the pastries with oil before baking and use golden colour as the doneness cue.

Variations

• Use milk: Replace the warm water with milk, as the recipe suggests.
• Add chilli: Mix chilli paste into the filling for a spicier flavour.
• Include tomato: Add the optional diced tomato to the silver beet mixture.
• Adjust the tang: Taste the filling and alter the seasonings to suit your preference.
• Change the oil: Use extra-virgin olive oil in the filling as listed.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Skipping the yeast rest: Leave the mixture for 15 minutes so the yeast has time to activate.
• Adding too much flour: Add it only if the dough is sticky, and do so gradually.
• Using dry dough: Add water a little at a time until the dough comes together.
• Filling to the edge: Leave the edges nearly clear so the pastry can be folded and sealed.
• Adding the filling juice: Strain the juice off as directed and use the remaining greens.
• Waiting for a fixed bake time: The recipe gives no duration, so bake until the pastries are golden brown.

How to store

Cool leftover pastries and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in an oven until warmed through; this helps the pastry retain more texture than reheating in a microwave.

Frequently asked questions