Sfeeha سفيحة is a delicious open faced #meatpie that is made on super thin dough, baked in a very high temperature oven where it's cooked to perfection!
Different regions in the #middleeast make it in a variety of ways like small little pockets, little closed triangles or open faced circles. It’s also called Lahem Bi Ajeen. The way it's made in #Syria is as shown in the photo. Hand sized oval shaped pies on very thin dough that is later enjoyed dipped in white yogurt... mmmmm so yummy! They are the perfect meal to make ahead of time and freeze for on the go snack!
“When I lived in Damascus, we would take the meat filling to the baker where he would assemble is on the dough and bake it for us. This was our version of pizza! Since I don’t have a baker that can spoil me like this here in the US, I was on a mission to recreate this childhood favorite from scratch! ”
I will be showing you in this blog how to make the most authentic Syrian Sfeeha from scratch step by step:
Here is what you need:
For the dough:
7 cups all purpose flour
2 cups warm water
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons yogurt
1 teaspoon salt
For the Filling:
1 Lb ground beef 85 lean
1 tablespoon coriander
1 tablespoon 7 spices
1 tablespoon salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
1 red pepper diced small
1/2 cup pomegranate molasses
1 1/2 cups diced tomatoes
1 cup pureed yellow onion (water squeezed out)
Pine nuts - a handful
To make the dough, mix wet ingredients first and let it sit for 5 mins to activate the yeast. Add flour and salt to the mix and kneed using a stand mixer for about 8 mins. Place dough in an oiled bowl and cover. Place in a warm place for about an hour to rise.
Prepare filling while the dough rises. Mix all the ingredients together and place in strainer to remove access liquid.
When dough is ready, break dough into 2 sections and use your hands to make small little dough balls. Cover dough balls and let rest for 15 mins.
Flour your surface and roll out each dough ball into an oval shaped thin layer. Place meat mixture by spreading and pressing down avoiding the sides of the dough.
Preheat oven to 500 degrees F
Bake for 5 mins on a pizza stone for best results or on a baking sheet placed at the lowest rack of the oven.
Enjoy with cold white yogurt
This video will show you a step by step on how to make the best Syrian Sfeeha - meat pies recipe:
Tip:
Use a a pizza stone for best results. Heat over to 500 degrees F and cook pies for 5 mins each.
I hope you enjoy this recipe and please give me your feedback by commenting below.
Sahtein!
I would love to hear if you made this recipe
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Photo Credit: Kinda Arzon Photography www.kindarzon.com