Fatayer Bi Labneh Recipes

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add steak pieces, onions, parsley, salt, and pepper and cook until steak is browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Pat bread dough on a lightly floured surface into 4- to 5-inch rounds. Place about 2 tablespoons meat mixture on each dough round. Fold dough over the mixture to make a triangle. Pinch the edges of the dough together but make sure to leave the very center of the meat pie unsealed so steam can escape while cooking. Set on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough and meat mixture and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Let rise for 10 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake fatayer in the preheated oven until lightly browned, about 25 minutes.

Steps:

• Follow the instructions for making the bread dough.
• Mix the topping ingredients into an oily paste.
• After you have punched the dough down, divide into 3 or 4 balls and roll out one ball at a time, wrapping the remaining ones in plastic wrap. Roll out on a floured surface, with a floured rolling pin, to about 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into 2 1/2-inch rounds with a pastry cutter. Pick up the scraps, roll into balls, and flatten again to make more rounds. Now roll out each round as thinly as possible (the dough is very elastic and springs back), lifting it up, dusting the surface with flour, and turning the round over so that the dough does not stick. Then pull and stretch the dough with your hands until it is paper-thin and about 5-6 inches in diameter.
• Preheat the broiler. Lightly oil a skillet and place it over high heat. Taking one round of dough at a time, spread about 1 1/2 tablespoons of zaatar paste over its surface with your hand. When the skillet is very hot, turn the heat down as low as possible; then gently pick up the dough and lower it in. Cook for 2 minutes over low heat in the skillet, then put under the broiler (about 3 inches from the heat) for about 1 minute, until the top is browned. Continue with the remaining rounds of dough and zaatar paste, rubbing the skillet with an oiled paper towel between rounds.
• Alternatively, if you want to bake the breads, place on lightly greased baking sheets, spread the paste over each round, and bake in a preheated 450°F oven for 5-10 minutes, or until lightly browned.
• Place in plastic bags (with toppings facing each other) to keep them soft. They keep for several days and also freeze well.
• Serve hot or warm.
• For a hot chili bread, instead of zaatar use as a topping 1/2 cup olive oil mixed with 4 tablespoons dried chili flakes.
• For chickpea breads, fatayer bi hummus, a Lebanese Lenten specialty, press into the dough a handful of cooked chickpeas before baking. Omit the topping.

Steps:

• Make as the preceding recipe, fatayer bi sabanikh, but replace the spinach filling with yogurt that has been drained in a cloth until it is a soft creamy cheese (see page 112), mixed with salt, pepper, and a little grated onion.