Description
Lahmajeen Fatayer are delicious Middle Eastern meat pies featuring a tender homemade dough topped with a flavorful ground beef or lamb mixture infused with fresh herbs and spices. Baked to golden perfection, these savory pies make a perfect appetizer or light meal, offering a delightful blend of textures and vibrant flavors that capture the essence of Lebanese cuisine.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Dough:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
- ¾ cup warm water
- ¼ cup plain yogurt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For the Meat Filling:
- ¾ pound ground beef or lamb
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 small tomato, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Juice of ½ lemon
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: In a small bowl, combine warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy, indicating the yeast is active and ready to use.
- Prepare Dough: In a large bowl, mix flour and salt. Add the yeast mixture, yogurt, and olive oil. Stir until a dough forms. Knead the dough for 8–10 minutes on a lightly floured surface until it becomes smooth and elastic. Cover and allow it to rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Make Filling: While the dough rises, prepare the meat filling by combining ground beef or lamb with finely chopped onion, tomato, tomato paste, parsley, ground allspice, cinnamon, paprika, optional cayenne pepper, salt, black pepper, and lemon juice. Mix thoroughly to evenly distribute all flavors.
- Preheat Oven and Shape Dough: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Punch down the risen dough, then divide it into 10 to 12 equal-sized balls. Roll each ball out into a thin oval or round approximately 4–5 inches wide.
- Assemble Fatayer: Place the rolled dough pieces on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spread a thin layer of the prepared meat filling over each, leaving a small border around the edges for baking.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 12–15 minutes, or until the edges of the dough turn golden brown and the meat is fully cooked through.
- Serve: Serve the lahmajeen fatayer warm, optionally garnished with lemon wedges and fresh parsley for added brightness and flavor. These can be enjoyed open-faced or folded like traditional fatayer.
Notes
- These mini meat pies can be served open-faced like lahmajeen or folded and pinched like traditional fatayer.
- Perfect as an appetizer or a light meal.
- You can substitute ground lamb for beef to suit your preference or dietary restrictions.
- Adjust cayenne pepper to control the heat level.
- Use a food thermometer to ensure meat reaches a safe internal temperature of 160°F (71°C).
