Lebanese Spinach Pies (fatayers)

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Preparation Time: 40 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 5 cups all-purpose flour (plain)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 kg fresh spinach
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 3 large onions, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 pinch ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons ground sumac (as desired)
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon thickened pomegranate juice (as desired)

Recipe

• 1 ajeen (dough).
• 2 sift the flour into a working surface. mix in salt and sugar. make a well in the centre.
• 3 pour olive oil and vegetable oil in the well. mix the dry ingredients into the liquid.
• 4 add water gradually. knead the dough into a ball (if the dough is too stiff add some water).
• 5 knead the dough on a floured working surface until it is smooth and elastic this can be done in an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, or in a food processor.
• 6 form the dough into a ball and put into a lightly floured bowl, covered with a damp cloth. leave in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size- about 6 hours.
• 7 filling.
• 8 prepare dough (ajeen). leave aside and cover for an hour to rise. make sure dough doubles in volume.
• 9 filling:
• 10 remove roots and yellow leaves from spinach. chop finely then wash well and drain, rub with ½ tspn salt. drain spinach again with your hands to dry.
• 11 mash the onions with remaining salt. add pepper and sumac. add spinach to onion, then mix in oil and pomegranate. put aside.
• 12 roll out dough using a rolling pin till dough is as thin as possible (5 mm). invert a tea cup on dough and press to have equal circles.
• 13 place a tbls of spinach filling on each piece. bring up sides at 3 points to form a triangular shape.
• 14 press edges firmly with fingertips to seal completely (put flour on finger tips tohelp seal).
• 15 place pies on oiled baking sheets. bake in a moderately hot oven (200° c) for 30 minutes.