Meat Pies (Fatayer Blahmeh)

These savory pastries are filled with a flavorful ground beef mixture and can be made in different shapes and sizes. They are traditionally served with a side of yogurt.

Yields: 32 mea pies

Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours

Ingredients

The Dough

2¾ cups all-purpose flour, sifted

1½ tablespoons sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

1¼ tablespoons instant yeast

¾ tablespoon baking powder

3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil

½ cup whole fat yogurt

1 cup milk, whole milk, lukewarm

The Dough

In a mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, salt, yeast, and baking powder). In another bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (oil, yogurt, and milk).

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with an electric stand mixer with a dough hook attachment for 2-4 minutes on low speed.

Transfer the dough to a floured cutting board and knead for a few minutes until a nice ball shape forms. Lightly oil a bowl, place the dough ball inside, cover it, and let it rise for 1 hour.

Once doubled in size, punch the dough to release the air. Knead it again on a floured surface and form it into a ball.

Cut the dough into 32 equal pieces. You can also cut the dough into 8 triangles and then cut each triangle into 4 smaller pieces to make smaller pies.

Shape the dough pieces into balls and place them on a sheet pan. Cover them with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let them rest for another 10 minutes.

The Meat Stuffing

Assembly and Baking

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (220 degrees Celsius).

Lightly flour a cutting board and roll out one dough ball into a 3-inch round circle.

Place a tablespoon of the meat mixture onto one half of the dough circle. Fold the dough over the filling to create a half-moon shape and press down the edges to seal.

You can either fold the dough over your finger continuously to seal the edges or use a fork to crimp the edges.

Repeat steps 3 and 4 for the remaining dough and filling. Place the pies on a non-stick baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the tops of the pies with some oil.

Bake the pies for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. If you want them to be browner, turn off the baking option and switch to the broiler for about a minute to achieve the desired color on top. Keep a close eye on them to prevent burning.

Take out the pies from the oven and brush them lightly with oil again for an extra glaze. Let them cool slightly before serving.

Tips

If you don’t want to make your own dough, you can use store-bought frozen dinner roll dough. Thaw the dough according to package instructions and use it for the recipe.

Use lukewarm milk or water for the dough. Do not use hot or cold water, as it will affect the rising process of the dough. Hot water can kill the yeast.

Instant yeast cannot be substituted with active dry yeast. They require different rising times.

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