Syrian Spinach Pies~~aka Fatayir

This is yet another fantastic recipe I have had the pleasure of cooking with my grandmother. Although for some reason they never come out EXACTLY like hers when it comes to the look and taste. She very rarely measured anything and I think that her patience in the kitchen is something that was not passed down to me. Syrian cooking is very laborious, certainly a labor of love. She formed each pie so it was perfectly round dough with the exact amount of filling and then forming the triangle was with a precision that I just don’t have.

Speaking of “love”, I love the freshness of the lemon with the spinach and the crust is amazing with almost a sweetness to it. I have always preferred these cold. They are great to snack on during the week. They are baked not fried so they are not “that” bad for you.

You can also make these with a meat mixture and I will be making and blogging about it in the near future.

If you want to serve these as an appetizer then make them as small as you want and in any shape you feel like forming. You can make them ahead and preheat them in the oven to crisp up the dough and heat the filling.

6 months ago I was given the Kitchen aid 600 professional for my birthday from my husband. I honestly had no idea what I was missing. I have always been terrified of yeast, I think because it means that you actually have to knead something and that’s way too much energy for me in the kitchen. WELL now that I have my KA I can still make a yeast dough and not have to exert all that kneading energy!

Syrian Spinach Pies

1 1/2 C+2T flour
½ t dry yeast
2/3 C warm water
Salt
¼ C EVOO
1small onion sliced very thin
Pinch of Syrian pepper (optional)
Juice of 2 lemons
Pepper
2 lbs spinach cooked and squeezed dry (or 2 10 oz frozen)

1. In your mixer with the dough hook combine the flour yeast, water ½ t salt and 3 T of the EVOO. Mix at medium speed until a soft dough forms 5-10 minutes. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and proof for about 1 hour*.
2. Put remaining 3 T EVOO in pan and sauté onion until soft 5-10 minutes. Add Syrian pepper, pepper, and lemon juice. Stir in spinach and let cool completely. 
3. Preheat oven to 450 link baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat. Divide dough into 10 pieces and form into ball. Let rest for 10 minutes. Roll out into circle about 5” and place filling in middle. Bring up sides of dough to form a triangle and pinch ends to seal. Brush tops with EVOO and bake 18 minutes or until golden brown. 

Note: When I proof I usually do it in my warming drawer. If you do not have one turn on your oven and preheat to 200 then shut it off and put the dough in.

GADGET: The Silpat—I have to admit I was NOT a believer. It just seemed like it would not work, or burn. I received a mat for the holidays and I use it ALL the time! Can be used for sweet and savory items like pizza, cookies, anything, mostly for cookies though. There has been many times where I am in the middle of baking cookies and my roll of parchment paper runs out…not anymore! Check it out, you can find them anywhere.