Jordanian Sfeeha - Meat Pies

The universal meat pie, Jordanian (Lebanese) version. Beef and onions are simmered in butter then spiced with cinnamon and allspice to top or fill the soft, pillowy dough. A Middle Eastern favorite!

Sfeeha (Arab Meat pies)

BREAD DOUGH:

2 cups lukewarm water

2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 tablespoons dry yeast

1/3 cup oil

1/3 cup sugar

6 - 7 cups flour

-Mix yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in 1/3 cup of the tepid water and let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add the rest of the water and sugar. Stir in salt, oil and enough flour to make a stiff dough. (You do not need to use all the flour, just enough to make a dough that can be handled without sticking to
your hands.)

-Knead the dough in an electric mixer with a dough hook or by hand for 5 - 7 minutes or until the dough forms a smooth ball. (see instructions on how to knead, below). Place the dough ball in a large oiled bowl, cover with a dish towel or plastic wrap and set to rise for about 1 1/2 hours in a warm spot on your kitchen counter. Or use the bread-proofing feature on your oven for an hour. Dough should be about doubled in size. To test if the dough has risen enough, poke a hole in the center with your finger. If the indentation stays, it is ready.

FILLING:

1 finely large chopped or food-processed, onion

½ cup butter (1 stick)

1 pound lean ground beef

1 - 6 oz. can tomato paste

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 1/2 tablespoons sumac

salt and pepper to taste

½ cup pine nuts

olive oil for sprinkling

-In medium frying pan, melt the butter. Saute the onion in the butter over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the ground beef and simmer till brown breaking it up as it cooks. Add tomato paste, sumac, cinnamon, allspice, salt and pepper. Simmer another 15-20 minutes. Stir in pine nuts.

TO FORM SFEEHA: (Two ways)

-Punch down the dough after it has risen, to release some of the air. Roll dough into balls about the size of a golf ball. With a rolling pin, roll each ball on a lightly oiled surface (oil works better than flour for this recipe) into a 3-4 inch round. Let each round rest for a couple of minutes before filling.

-For the Triangle Shape: Place a spoonful of filling in the center of each of the rounds. Fold the 3 edges into the center and pinch into a peak in the middle, to create a triangle. Press the seams together along each edge. Helpful video on how to shape triangles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_B-OgJ9OA4

-For the Mini-Pizza Shapes: Place the rounds on the oiled baking tray then with the back of a spoon, press firmly to make a slight indentation in the dough. Fill and mound a large spoonful of the meat filling on top.

-Place triangles or rounds on an oiled cookie sheet an inch and a half apart from each other. Let rise losely covered with plastic wrap for 20 minutes. Sprinkle lightly with additional olive oil. Bake at 375 degrees until golden, 15 minutes. Brush with olive oil while still warm. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on the tops of the triangles immediately after brushing with oil.

-Serve warm or at room temperature. (Can bake until just barely done and freeze. Thaw then reheat in oven before serving, at 350 for 8 minutes.) Makes about 20 pies.

Mix dough according to directions, knead then place in a well buttered or oiled bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled.

You can roll out the dough and cut out circles but the better method is described above. Form into golf ball sized balls, then roll each out on an oiled surface until quite thin (less than ¼ inch)

To make the mini-pizza shapes, mound the filling in the center of the rounds.

Place rounds on an oiled or parchment lined baking tray about an inch apart.

For the triangle shapes, bring 3 edges up and over the filling together. Press into a point, creating a triangle shape, then pinch the seams together.

Place the triangle shapes on an oiled or parchment lined baking tray, cover loosely with plastic srape and allow to rise about 20 minutes.

Bake for about 15 minutes in a 375 degree oven, until golden around the edges and puffy.

Brush the meat pies with olive oil while they are still warm.

Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top of the triangles immediately after brushing with oil.

A beautiful array of Arab Meat Pies requires no coaxing to partake. They speak for themselves!

PERSNICKETY NOTES:

*Sumac is an indespensable seasoning, which comes from the red berries on the red sumac bush, that make Middle Eastern Foods sparkle. With it’s lemon, peppery flavor, it’s great on soups, salads and meat dishes and adds a dark red color for a notable contrast. (Don’t go picking your own sumac berries unless you know that particular variety is edible.) You can buy Ground Sumac in most grocery stores, in all Middle Eastern Groceries and online at: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=ground+sumac&crid=2BSF2VS2BJZQC&sprefix=Ground+Sumac%2Caps%2C82&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_2_12

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