Sfiha

Sfiha are meat pies widely spread in the middle east specially in Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine and Iraq. Sfiha is an appetizer that is prepared at homes specially during Ramadan and can be bought from pastry restaurants.

Ingredients - Sfiha:

• Dough
• 1/2 kg (16 oz) ground lamb meat
• 1 kg (32 oz) firm tomatoes, finely chopped
• 5 medium onions, finely chopped
• 1 tspn salt
• A dash of: ground cayenne red pepper, ground cinnamon, and ground allspice
• 2 tbls butter, diced
• 2 tbls yoghurt
• 1 tbls sesame paste (Tahini)
• 1 tbls pomegranate thickened juice (if available)
• 4 tbls fried pine nuts
  

Preparation - Sfiha:

1. Mix well meat, tomatoes, onion and spices. Add yogurt, sesame paste and pomegranate. Mix all with fried pine nuts. Add butter.
2. Divide dough into walnut size balls. Roll between hand palms to smooth.
3. Roll out balls with a rolling pin to form 8 cm diameter circles. Put one tbls of meat mixture on dough circle seeing that a cube is in each spoon.
4. Bring the edges up and press to make a square.
5. Arrange meat pastries in a tray brushed with butter. Bake in a moderate heat oven (180° C) for 30 minutes or till dough is golden and meat is cooked.
6. Serve hot with yogurt.