Cheese Fatayer

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Imagine biting into cheesy bites of heaven – that’s what these pide, fatayer, or manaeesh are all about! It’s like the Middle Eastern version of cheese bread, perfect for breakfast or a snack anytime during the day!

Cheese Fatayer

Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 12
Course: Appetizer, Breakfast

Ingredients
  

**Cheese Filling:**
  • 3 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1 cup of crumbled feta cheese
  • 1 tablespoon of finely chopped parsley
  • 1 large egg beaten
  • 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon of dried mint
  • 1 teaspoon of Aleppo pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon of nigella seeds
**Dough:**
  • 2 2/3 cups of all-purpose flour plus extra if needed
  • 1/2 tablespoon of salt
  • 1/2 tablespoon of instant yeast
  • 1 cup of lukewarm water
  • 1/2 tablespoon of sugar
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt
**For Assembly:**
  • Milk or heavy cream for brushing

Method
 

**Making the Dough:**
  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, salt, instant yeast, lukewarm water, sugar, olive oil, and plain yogurt.
  2. Use a stand mixer with a hook attachment or mix by hand until you form a soft, elastic dough. It should be slightly sticky but manageable. Add more flour if needed.
  3. Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, cover it, and let it rise in a warm place for an hour until it doubles in size.
**Making the Cheese Filling:**
  1. While the dough is resting, prepare the cheese filling. In a bowl, mix together the mozzarella cheese, feta cheese, parsley, beaten egg, onion powder, dried mint, Aleppo pepper, black pepper, garlic powder, and nigella seeds. Set aside.
**Assembly:**
  1. Preheat your oven to 475°F.
  2. After the dough has risen, punch it down and divide it into 12 equal portions, shaping each into a tight ball.
  3. Roll out each piece into an oval/football shape.
  4. Add a generous amount of cheese filling to the center of each oval, then fold over the left and right sides, pinching the top and bottom to create a boat-like shape.
  5. Place the filled dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the edges with milk or heavy cream.
  6. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges turn golden brown.
  7. Let them cool for a few minutes before enjoying them warm.
  8. Get ready to savor these delicious cheesy treats!

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