Meat pies (Sfeeha)

From: https://www.tasteofbeirut.com/meat-pies-sfeeha/ 

Ingredients

  • 1 dough (See Note)

Filling:

  • 3/4 lb ground beef or lamb (a bit fatty)
  • Spices: 1 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp each of allspice, cinnamon, Aleppo pepper or paprika, dash of black pepper
  • 1 Tbsp red pepper paste (optional)
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste OR 4 tomatoes diced small
  • 1/2 cup chopped parsley
  • 2 Tbsp pomegranate molasses
  • 3 Tbsp tahini
  • 3 Tbsp labneh (or drained yogurt or Greek yogurt)
  • 1/2 tsp garlic paste
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced fine
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts or almonds, toasted or fried
  • To serve: 2 cups yogurt and 2 lemons, quartered

Instructions

  1. While the dough is resting and rising, get the stuffing ready. Mix the meat with all the other ingredients in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate till dough is ready.
  2. Transfer the dough to a floured work counter and roll it till thin (about 1/8") then cut into 3" rounds with a glass or cookie cutter.
  3. Get the meat mixture and stir it a bit. Take a tablespoon at a time with an ice-cream scooper  if you have one (makes the job easier) and lay it on each circle. Pinch opposite ends of the circle to form a square shape and raise the edges of the pie. This will enclose the filling to prevent it from oozing out.
  4. Lift out the pies with a spatula and place on a cookie sheet greased or lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle the pies with pine nuts or almonds, and press the filling with the back of a spoon or the spatula to make sure the nuts adhere. Bake in a 375F oven till golden, about 10 minutes. Serve immediately with a bowl of yogurt (to share, scooping out a spoonful onto the pies) or some lemons to squeeze the juice onto the pies.

Recipe Notes

To make a batch of dough (to use for this recipe or to make zaatar manaeesh or any type of pizza)

  • 1 cup warm water (can use milk instead)
  • 2 tsp active dry yeast
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup oil

  1. Pour 1/2 cup of water into a small bowl. Add the sugar, and yeast. Mix and place in a warm enclosed place (like the microwave or in the oven) for 10 minutes until the yeast starts bubbling up.
  2. Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl or mixer, add the oil and combine; add the proofed yeast and combine and add enough water to get a firm and moist dough. Knead it for 5 minutes till smooth.
  3. Let it rise in a bowl by covering it with some oil all around. Again, a good place would be the oven or microwave.