Sfiha, also known as sfeeha, are meat pies originating from Lebanon. They are very tasty and full of flavor thanks to the “seven spice” spice blend.
Here is my favorite sfiha recipe, which makes a very delicious Lebanese meat pie. The folding technique for these pies can take a while to master, but once you get the hang of it, it’s easy enough to bake them at home.
preparation:
2 hours
preparation:
30 minutes
total time:
2 hours 30 minutes
Lebanese meatballs taste good with the spice flavor of the seven spice mixture. They are quite easy to make, but it may take some effort to make them perfect.
Flipping the pies so they stick together in the oven is the hardest part. Read more about it in the recipe below.
material
degree
-
1 kg of wheat flour
-
3 tablespoons of sugar
-
2 tablespoons dry yeast
-
1 tbsp salt
-
0.5 dl of sunflower oil
-
5.5 dl of milk
filling
Instructions
- Start with the flour.
- Mix all-purpose flour, dry yeast, sugar, salt and oil in a bowl. Add finger warm milk and mix well.
- Knead the dough until it’s a nice and firm consistency. Drop it on the baking sheet a couple of times (this helps the dough rise).
- Pour back into the bowl and leave under baking paper to rise for an hour (it will double in size).
- Meanwhile, prepare the filling.
- Blend the tomatoes and onions in a blender until they become puree. Put in a bowl and add minced meat, salt and spices. Mix well, preferably by hand.
- Strain the filling through a fine sieve to drain all the liquid (this is a very important step).
- Heat the oven to 200 degrees.
- Flour the baking table and divide the dough into pieces. The pieces should be the size of ping-pong balls when rolled.
- Roll out the dough to about 0.5 cm thick. Flour the table and cylinder in between to prevent the dough from sticking.
- Put about a tablespoon of filling in the middle of the dough and press the corners of the round dough together so that it resembles a square shape.
- Pour the pie onto a tray lined with baking paper and grease with a small amount of oil.
- Bake the pie on the middle shelf of the oven for about 12 minutes, until it is golden brown.
- serve immediately.
notes
It is very important that you strain the filling well and drain all the liquid. If you don’t follow this step, the pies probably won’t stay together in the oven.
Tips for making a good sfiha
The hardest part of making these pies is keeping the dough together in the oven. If you didn’t press it down properly or didn’t get the dough to the right consistency, the pressed edge can loosen and lose its shape in the oven.
The dough should not be too dry when you press the edges together. One tip is to wet your thumb and forefinger with water and press down firmly.
It is also important to strain the filling properly. You need to remove all the liquid.
Also, don’t put too much filling, this is another reason why the pie can lose its shape in the oven.
However, if some of your pies lose their shape the first time you make this recipe, it’s not the end of the world. They still taste good, which is the most important thing!
Below is a picture of what some of my first safi skins looked like when I took them out of the oven. As you can see, they look a little watery around the filling. That’s why it’s important to strain the filling and really get all the liquid out.
I solved the problem by pressing the filling again and pressing the edges tightly with wet fingers.
My best suggestion is to bake 3-4 pies first and see how they hold together.
sfiha. about
Sfiha is a Lebanese meat pie made from pie dough, minced meat, tomatoes, onions and various spices.
In addition to Lebanon, it is also popular in Syria, Palestine, Jordan and Brazil. Immigrants from Syria and Lebanon brought them to Brazil and they quickly became a big favorite among the locals.
In Brazilian cuisine, these pies are called “esfiha” or “esfira”.
Can you freeze sfiha?
Yes, you can freeze them, but they are always freshly baked. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 1 month.
I usually put them from time to time on baking paper on a cutting board in the freezer. When they are completely frozen, I put them in one bag to save space in the freezer.
How to reheat frozen sifah?
You can reheat them in the microwave, but they are definitely best in the oven. Place on a tray lined with baking paper and preheat a few mints in the oven at 200 degrees.
Have you tried my recipe? Please leave a comment!