Sfeeha (Lebanese Meat Pies)

About This Recipe

Sfeeha are small, open-faced Lebanese meat pies, a yeasted dough round topped with a mixture of spiced ground lamb or beef, onion, tomato, and pomegranate molasses, baked until the edges turn golden and crisp while the meat topping stays juicy. They're distinct from the closed, folded meat pies (fatayer) found elsewhere in Levantine baking, and are a common item found at Lebanese bakeries and served at gatherings. The technique that defines sfeeha is the topping's balance: ground meat is mixed with finely diced onion and tomato, brightened with pomegranate molasses and lemon juice for a distinctive sweet-tart edge, and seasoned with warm spices like allspice and cinnamon. The dough, a simple yeasted bread dough, is rolled into small rounds and topped generously right to the edge, then baked at a high temperature so the dough cooks through quickly without the meat drying out. Served warm, often with a wedge of lemon on the side, sfeeha are popular as a snack, light lunch, or party appetizer across Lebanon, valued for their portable, hand-held format and the satisfying contrast between crisp dough and juicy, tangy meat topping.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 3 cupsall-purpose flour
• 2.25 tspinstant yeast
• 1 tspsalt
• 1 tspsugar
• 3 tbspolive oil
• 1 cupwarm water
• 400 gground lamb or beef
• 1onion(finely diced)
• 1tomato(finely diced)
• 3 tbsppomegranate molasses
• 1 tbsplemon juice
• 0.5 tspallspice
• 0.25 tspcinnamon
• 1 tspsalt(for topping)
• 3 tbsppine nuts

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the dough

   Mix flour, yeast, salt, and sugar. Add olive oil and warm water, kneading until a smooth, elastic dough forms, about 8 minutes. Rest covered 1 hour until doubled.

2. 2

   Make the topping

   Combine ground meat, onion, tomato, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, allspice, cinnamon, and salt. Mix well.

3. 3

   Shape the dough

   Punch down dough and divide into 12-14 small balls. Roll each into a thin round, about 10cm across.

4. 4

   Top

   Spread a portion of the meat mixture over each dough round, all the way to the edges.

5. 5

   Add pine nuts

   Scatter a few pine nuts over each topped round.

6. 6

   Bake

   Preheat oven to 220C/425F. Bake sfeeha on parchment-lined trays for 12-15 minutes until the dough is golden and the meat is cooked through.

7. 7

   Serve

   Serve warm, with lemon wedges if desired.

Variations

• •

  Use ground beef instead of lamb for a milder, more widely available option.

• •

  Add a pinch of Aleppo pepper to the meat mixture for a subtle kick.

• •

  Make mini versions for a party appetizer platter, adjusting baking time down slightly.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 3 days in an airtight container. Reheat in a 180C/350F oven for 8-10 minutes to re-crisp the dough, rather than microwaving.

Frequently Asked Questions