Sfiha Baalbakieh

These little delicious meat pastries called sfiha are the highlight of my childhood! Found at every gathering set by my Lebanese family, these addictive bite-sized pastries have to be my absolute favorite!

click the picture for instructional video

Ingredients:

The dough:

• 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour

• 1/2 tsp yeast

• 1 tbsp sugar

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

• 1-3/4 cups of warm water (you may need more or less accordingly)

Meat filling:

• 1/2 kg ground beef

• 3 small tomatoes peeled

• 1/2 onion small diced

• 2 tbsp tomato paste

• 120g plain yogurt

• 1 tbsp tahini

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp all spice

• 1/2 tsp salt

• Pinch of nutmeg

Optional:

• 1 small diced Green bell pepper

• 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses

• 1/2 tsp chili paste or siracha

• Toasted pine nuts (added after the filling has been mixed)

Directions:

For the filling:

1. In a blender, place all the filling ingredients and add any optional ingredients of choice.

2. Blend the filling ingredients just until the ingredients are fully mixed.

3. Place your blended filling onto a large mesh strainer which has been set on a bowl.

4. Allow your filling to strain for a few hours in the fridge before using (I usually make the filling the day before I use it to ensure most of the liquid has been drained but 2 hours would do the job perfectly)

For the dough:

1. In a stand mixer, add in the flour, yeast, sugar, salt and vegetable oil.

2. Mix the ingredients until they are roughly combined then start adding in the water gradually until a soft dough forms (you may use more or less water accordingly).

3. Knead the dough for 5 minutes by hand or using a stand mixer.

4. Cover the dough with a damp towel or some plastic wrap and allow it to rest for 1-2 hours.

To assemble the pastries:

1. Divide the dough into 4 and roll out one of the sections.

2. Using a circular cut out, lid, tea kettle lid, etc. , cut out the rolled dough.

3. Start placing a spoonful of the meat filling onto each dough cutout.

4. Pinch the cutout diagonally to obtain a square shape.

5. Repeat with the remainder of the dough.

6. Place the shaped pastries onto a lightly oiled baking sheet, spacing them out evenly (use the measurement of half your finger as a guide).

7. Bake the pastries at 180 degrees Celsius for 7 minutes on the bottom rack and 7 minutes on the middle rack until golden brown.

8. Serve with some yogurt, lemon wedges, pickles, extra pomegranate molasses and some cold Ayran.

9. Bon Appétit!