Cheese Fatayer or cheese turnovers are Arabic cheese filled pastries, usually takes a boat-like shape. Very tasty filled with almost anything you want, but this feta, and mint combination makes the Fatayer irresistible.
Fatayer are usually pockets like, finger food filled with many delicious fillings such as meat spinach or cheese filling. Fatayer are soft and fluffy, they are perfect as a snack or lunch, they are also very common as a side dish or a starter in the holy month of Ramadan.
Fatayer can take different shapes, the most common ones are boat and triangular ones, but today I’ve prepared my Fatayer in a new interesting shape. The filling is also so tasty , it is a combination of feta cheese, parsley and dried or fresh mint, the exact ratio is up to you, there is no right or wrong here I recommend tasting the filling before adding the egg.
You can use any other kind of cheese like mozzarella, ricotta or any other kind that you feel will fit your taste. For us we preferred using feta crumbles which are dry and have a pleasant tartness that when combined with mint and parsley comes out very appealing to everyone in my family.
Let’s hop in the fatayer wagon and see how easy they are…. as easy as dumping everything together.
So basically, you throw everything together in your mixer bowl until they come together and form this elastic beautiful dough. Then you’ll need to let it rise in a nice, warm place covered until doubled in size.
Prepare your favorite filling, here I am using the feta with mint and parley. I also like filling them with cheese and zaatar or meat for meat lovers in your home. You can also make a pizza rolls out of it .
Cut the dough in half and roll each half into a rectangle. spread the filling, roll over into a long log. After filling and rolling the dough, I cut it in 1.5 to 2 inches, that might seem big if you intend to serve it as a side dish, for me I wanted to give them to my kids in breakfast or in their lunch boxes so I wanted them bigger as they probably will take only 2 or so, hence feel free to resize according to your needs.
Look how chubby these are 🤗. Brush with some oil then take a wooden stick, or any stick for the matter, and make a dent in the middle like shown above. Until you see the filling almost going to fall out, no worries, it won’t.
Ship them to the oven and wait eagerly right next to them for 12-15 minutes until they are done and nicely browned.
These are dangerous , dangerous by all means….. I’ve warned you.
I hope you’ll like this recipe and please if you make this recipe, snap a pic and hashtag it #amiraspantry — I love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter!
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Cheese Fatayer
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cup flour.
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 Tablespoon yeast.
- 1/2 Tablespoon sugar.
- 3 Tablespoon dry milk.
- 1/4 cup olive oil.
- 1 cup warm water.
For the cheese filling
- 1 cup feta cheese.
- 2 Tablespoon parsley- chopped.
- 2 Tablespoon dry or fresh mint.
- 1 egg
Instructions
Make the dough:
- In your mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt yeast and dry milk mixing well. Add oil and mix, then add water, mix the dough then knead by hand for another 3-4 minutes until you have a nice soft dough.
- Place in an oiled bowl, cover and let it rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Make the filling:
- Meanwhile prepare the filling by combining all the ingredients together mixing well.
Assemble and bake:
- Divide the dough in half. Take the first half and roll into a rectangle.
- Spread half of the filling in the rectangle then roll to form a log.
- Cut the long into 1.5 to 2 inches length, or less according to your desire. Then brush with oil.
- Using a wooden stick, make an indentation in the middle of each piece .
- Bake for 12-15 minutes in a 400F preheated oven.
- Let it cool down and Enjoy!!
Nutrition
Need more baked goods recipes? try these:
Do I have to put in the egg? I am worried there will be egg smell to it.
Measa, use whatever filling you like.. this is up to you.