Fatayer are Middle Eastern savoury hand pies that can be made in a variety of shapes and sizes. The dough is really easy to work with and the filling can be anything from meat, cheese, spinach etc. They’re usually served as part of the mezze at a meal but they’re also lovely on their own as a snack with a cup of tea. They’re freezer friendly and make a great travel snack too.
To make these lovely little pies, start by preparing the filling. Dice the onions finely and cook them on medium heat until they’re soft and translucent. This will help evaporate any moisture from the spinach. Then add the zaatar and mix well.
The zaatar is a Middle Eastern spice blend and it’s an amazing combination of savory herbs like oregano, thyme, sumac and sesame seeds. It’s easily available at many Middle Eastern stores and it’s also quite cheap to buy online.
Once the onion and zaatar mixture has cooled, make your dough. It’s very similar to a dinner roll or pizza dough and it’s best to use a food processor to avoid any lumps. The dough needs to be medium soft and easy to handle, so if it’s too hard then adding a teaspoon of water will help.
Once the dough is ready to shape, divide it into equal portions and place each piece on a floured surface. It’s good to have a bowl of water on hand to wet your hands and stop the dough from sticking. A light drizzle of oil on a baking tray also helps the fatayer to crisp up while they’re baking. اشكال فطاير